Six states had tobacco-related questions on the Election Day ballot and only California and Missouri proved to be rays of hope. The remaining ones either increased taxes on Cigars/Pipes and cigarettes or curtailed smoking in various locations. A summary of the final results from yesterday’s elections are listed below:
Arizona:
Question 201 Passed: Prohibits smoking in most workplaces and increases the cigarette tax by 2 cents a pack. Allows smoking in tobacco stores, veterans and private clubs, designated hotel rooms and outdoor patios of restaurants and bars. Because of it's more restrictive nature, this question was opposed by retailers in Arizona.
Question 203 Passed: Increases the tax on large cigars by $.088/cigar. Raises the tax on smokeless and smoking tobacco by $.09/ounce, increases the tax on little cigars by $.178/pack and raises the cigarette tax (however, the ballot question stated the cigarette tax would increase 8/10th’s of a cent per pack when the amount intended was 80 cents per pack; a determination on the amount of the increase has not been made).
Question 206 Failed: This measure, supported by retailers, would have allowed smoking in more hospitality establishments than Question 201 but it did not pass.
California:
Proposition 86 Defeated: This question would have increased cigar and pipe tobacco taxes to approximately 135% while cigarette taxes would have gone up by $2.60/pack. We are extremely pleased to see this poorly written proposition die an ugly death
Missouri:
Question 3 Defeated: This question would have increased cigar and pipe tobacco taxes by 20% and cigarette taxes by 80 cents per pack. Another victory!
Nevada:
Question 4 Defeated: This less restrictive smoking ban question was not passed despite the support of NATO and many others.
Question 5 Passed: This question passed and does not allow smoking in most public places and hospitality establishments; smoking is allowed in casinos and hotel rooms. Imagine no longer being able to smoke in bars and restaurants in Sin City any longer. Looks like they are taking out the Sin...
Ohio:
Question 4 Defeated: This less restrictive smoking ban question was not passed.
Question 5 Passed: This question passed and does not allow smoking in most public places and hospitality establishments; smoking is allowed in retail tobacco stores, hotel rooms, non-profit private clubs (veterans clubs, etc.) and outdoor patios of restaurants and bars.
South Dakota:
Measure 2 Passed: This question will increase taxes on cigars and pipe tobacco to 35% while cigarette taxes go up by $1.00 per pack to $1.53 per pack. Yet another defeat by those who would follow the historical choice of taxing the small population of smokers to pay for programs that benefit everyone.