Four New Jersey state legislators have introduced a bill that would create a 25% tax on all tobacco advertising and marketing, including premium cigars, electronic smoking devices and cigarettes. A2980 was introduced on March 24 and currently sits with the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee. It has four primary sponsors: Assemblywoman Angelica M. Jimenez (D-32), Assemblyman Herb Conaway, Jr. (D-7), Assemblyman Charles Mainor (D-31) and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-37). A companion bill has yet to be introduced in the New Jersey Senate. The bill would establishes the “Fund to Prevent Use of Tobacco and Electronic Smoking Devices;” which would support activities to prevent use and promote awareness of associated health conditions. From the bill’s text: The fund would be derived from the requirement in the bill that a manufacturer of cigarettes, a manufacturer of tobacco products, and a manufacturer or electronic smoking devices forward to the Department of the Treasury, on a quarterly basis, $.25 of every $1 that the manufacturer spends on advertising or marketing cigarettes, tobacco products, or electronic smoking devices in the State. Should the bill make it through both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, it would take effect approximately four months after being signed into law.
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