Cigarette Prices Going Up in New York State?
Are cigarette prices going up in New York State?
There was a massive settlement involving two major cigarette companies. One of those companies is located right here in Western New York. Due to this massive situation, prices may be going up in New York State for a pack of cigarettes according to some local smokers.
Grand River Enterprises Six Nations from Canada and Native Wholesale, located in Western New York, violated state and federal laws by shipping, selling, and distributing cigarettes in New York without paying state taxes.
The companies had fines totaling $50,000,000 dollars that will go to the State of New York.
Native Wholesale was not licensed by New York to distribute or sell cigarettes. Grand River knew that the cigarettes it sold to Native Wholesale would be sold into New York without going through a New York state-licensed stamping agent for pre-payment of state taxes and would be neither stamped nor taxed as required by New York law", according to the New York press release.
The average price of cigarettes in the United States are $8 a pack.
New York State has the highest price of cigarettes at $11.96.
Missouri has the lowest price per pack at $6.11.
How much does the average New York smoker spend on cigarettes every single year?
In New York, the average smoker would spend $8.97 per day. THAT IS $3,274.04 every year. That is IF you smoke LESS than a pack a day. With these two major companies and distributors having to pay more in tax, smokers that were talking on social media expect that the price of cigarettes is going up.