Legislation Takes Effect April 1, 2009
February 4, 2009 – Following a long, drawn-out political fight started in 2007, President Obama signed into law the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) renewal and expansion bill. In order to avoid further delay, the House of Representatives voted to accept the Senate’s amendment to the SCHIP bill.
There will be no floor tax on “large cigars” (weighing three pounds or more per 1,000 cigars (this includes most premium cigars). Despite strong lobbying efforts, the floor tax remains in effect for all other tobacco products. The new federal excise tax rates to take affect April 1, 2009 are as follows:
| Cigarettes | $1.0066/pack |
| Large Cigars | 52.75% |
| Snuff | $1.51/lb. |
| Chew | $.5033 cents/lb. |
| Pipe Tobacco | $2.8311/lb. |
| RYO | $24.78/lb. |
| Little Cigars | $50.00/1,000 |
International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR)
Chris McCalla
Legislative Director
