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Senate advances cigarette-tax increase to deter youth smoking after extended debate
Summary
After hours of floor debate over public-health aims and fiscal effects, the Utah Senate approved an amendment raising the per-pack tax and advanced the bill to third reading; supporters cited prevention and revenue, opponents warned of cross-border purchases and program design.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 20 advanced a bill to raise the state excise on cigarettes, approving a floor amendment to increase the levy and sending the measure on for third reading after vigorous debate.
Senators voted to move the second substitute of House Bill 27 forward after adopting an amendment that raised the tax to the equivalent of 25¢ per pack. The Senate roll call on the bill’s third-reading placement was recorded as 27 aye, 2 nay.
Supporters said the price increase and the bill’s prevention funding would cut youth smoking and defray health costs tied to tobacco use. “I’m convinced that this bill will do more to reduce smoking in teenagers, and helping kids not start smoking, and assisting adults in their smoking-cessation programs,” the senator presenting the bill told the chamber, urging colleagues to vote for the measure.
Opponents raised practical and philosophical objections. One senator warned the differential with neighboring Wyoming could incentivize cross-border purchases and described the potential outcome as an amplification of retail activity just over the state line: “I think this could be called, because of the magnitude of the tax, the Evanston convenience store revitalization act,” he said, arguing the size of the increase risked undercutting the intended public-health and revenue gains.
Floor debate touched on earmarking and program design. Several senators pressed for clearer commitments on how revenue would be used for prevention, treatment and Medicaid offsets; sponsors said priorities and allocations would be handled in the appropriations process if the bill becomes law.
The bill’s supporters cited public-health evidence and experiences from other states that paired price increases with anti-smoking campaigns and cessation programs. Opponents emphasized enforcement, fiscal predictability and the risk that high price differentials would encourage purchases outside Utah.
The Senate’s vote advances the bill to the next procedural step; it must still clear a final Senate reading and, if enacted here, be reconciled with the House and signed by the governor before becoming law.
