Tobacco Tax Revenues Fall

A new report shows total state revenues from tobacco taxes has fallen to its lowest level since the tax was last increased to $2 a pack in 2004 as total sales of tobacco products, especially cigarettes, continues to fall. The Department of Treasury report also shows that in 2013 nearly 1 billion fewer packs of cigarettes were sold in Michigan than in 1981. Even so, the state still ranks high among all states in terms of smokers. 2013 sales were about 2.6 million packs fewer than in 2012, which marked the 14th consecutive year of declining sales. Nationally, cigarette sales went from almost 31.7 billion packs sold in 1981 to 14 billion sold in 2013. Michigan still ranked 10th among the highest rate of smokers with an average of 23.3 percent of adults smoking.