There Is Still A Possibility Of A Cigarette Tax Hike

INDIANAPOLIS – Health activists are making a last-gasp effort to push a cigarette tax hike through the legislature:

Legislative leaders have said there’s no enthusiasm for a cigarette tax hike, and the proposal hasn’t even gotten a hearing. But Nick Torres with the American Lung Association says he believes the campaign to triple the tax has made headway. He notes Senate President Pro Tem Rod Bray (R-Martinsville) has conceded legislators will have to raise the tax at some point, and says supporters’ challenge is to persuade legislators there’s urgency to doing it now.

House Public Health Chair Cindy Kirchhofer (R-Indianapolis) introduced a cigarette tax hike bill but never called it for a hearing. A tax hike still has two potential pathways. A Senate committee is considering a tax on e-cigarettes on Thursday, and could add the cigarette tax. And Torres notes the tax could also be a last-minute addition to the budget, which means it won’t be completely dead until the legislature adjourns for the year. But either of those would require legislative enthusiasm for the idea which so far hasn’t been visible.