Tobacco Tax goes into affect this weekend

Last year, Californians voted on a tax increase for tobacco products that would raise the tax from 27.3 to 65.08. Prop 56 also expanded the definition of “tobacco product” to include chewing tobacco, cigars and e-cigarettes that use nicotine. An example of the cost would be if a customer bought a $10 box of cigars; the tax as is would be around $2, but on Saturday that tax would jump to around $6.

Across the state reports of tobacco lovers stocking up before the weekend have been observed. Funds from the tax will go to physician training, prevention and treatment of dental diseases, Medi-Cal, tobacco-use prevention, research into cancer, heart and lung diseases, and other tobacco-related diseases, and school programs focusing on tobacco-use prevention and reduction.