The price Mainers will pay for tobacco-free nicotine pouches, a popular alternative to chewing tobacco and cigarettes, has begun to soar statewide now that a 42 percent excise tax has been extended to the products.
The tax expansion passed the legislature on strictly partisan lines, with only Democratic state lawmakers voting in favor and all present Republican lawmakers voting against it.
Gov. Janet Mills (D) allowed the measure to become law without her signature in April.
Starting this week, Zyn pouches and other non-tobacco nicotine products will be subject to the massive 42 percent wholesale tax increase, a cost increase that is already hitting convenience stores in the state.
One common gas station store, Nouria, said that it will now be forced to increase the price of a can of Zyn from $5.59 all the way up to $8.49 overnight, which company employee said in an email will shock consumers.
The company took solace in the fact that New Hampshire already imposes a similar tax on the pouches, and Massachusetts has outlawed flavored nicotine products, making it likely that devoted Zyners will continue to find their fix in Maine’s stores, as they will have no better option.
Previously, Zyn and other nicotine salt-based products were not considered tobacco products under Maine tax law because they do not contain any tobacco.
In the most recent legislative session, however, Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock) proposed changing Maine law to extend the existing tobacco tax to cover products that do not contain tobacco.
Grohoski’s bill redefines tobacco products to include anything that contains nicotine; however, it’s unclear whether the new tax expansion will also apply to smoking cessation products, like nicotine gum or nicotine patches, which also seem to meet the definition.
According to the fiscal note applied to the bill, the expansion of the tobacco tax is anticipated to collect $978,000 in FY 2024.
In future years, the state expects to collect more than $2.5 million in additional revenue.
Tobacco taxes are widely regarded as disproportionately impacting lower-income individuals, as surveys indicate tobacco use rates are negatively correlated with income.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="30085 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=30085">10 Comments
Already did it to mail order cigars, no problem just take a monthly trip to the free state of NH. FJM
Yup, just paid 43% on cigars.
But literally dozens of pot shops is no big deal.
Keep the population high and apathetic so they can get away with everything.
ahhh yesss, good ole commie janet just lets it become law without signing the bill to keep her name of of it so she dosent look as bad as she really is…. p.o.s
Any monies gained will be erased by loss of sales tax. Never would I ever pay an excise for cigars. Remember that guy who said dems would raise your taxes?
Just makes you want to vote republican… comrade democrats are lost in space….they just don’t get it….It’s going to start really hurting in Maine…. very sad for smokers, first that they ever started, and now, quite possibly forced to be quitting.
Marijuana good …..Tobacco bad
These democrats HAVE GOT TO BE voted out of office .
Save Maine from the crazy democrats !
First they do nothing about the Chinese grow houses, then they kill the legal competition, then they refuse to allow the power company report grow houses. Starting to make sense yet? They don’t work for you they work for china. Even a blind democrat could see it if they opened their eyes.
I feel like this is classic hypocrisy. This site espouses freedom of everything under an American flag. But the site also posts support of people restricting abortion rights, gay rights, trans rights, and a president who tried to nullify 77 million American votes.
I say we elect officials and let them do their jobs. Complaining about some restricted freedoms and not others isn’t freedom. It’s being a spoiled baby.
Behold the blind LIBERAL (Lacking In Basic Education Reason And Logic) who refuses to open his eyes. Not sure if a paid cackle troll or being blackmailed. Abandon the darkside and become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. And clean your room, something stinks down there.
Janet you are quickly turning me into a man with nothing left to lose. Go back to snorting coke you nasty old hypocritical whore! I’m all for protecting children but this is kindergarten for adults. I think I’m going to take my considerable business acumen to a state that will appreciate me and will not insist that I comply with undo pettiness as if I can’t decisions for my ow self!