Missouri voters rejected a ballot measure that would have raised the cigarette tax to USD 0.90 (EUR 0.70) from USD 0.17 for a pack of 20, returns show.

Proposition B was defeated by a margin of 50.8 percent, or 1.36 million votes, to 49.2 per cent, representing 1.31 million votes, with all precincts reporting, the Missouri Secretary of State’s office said on its website. The measure would have raised the cigarette excise tax by USD 0.0365 per cigarette, by 25 per cent of manufacturer’s invoice price for RYO and by 15 per cent for OTP.
An estimated USD 283 million to USD 423 million would have been raised for a fund to prevent tobacco use and to fund public education. The measure also sought to increase the money set aside by some makers of tobacco products to pay adverse judgements and settlements. Missouri’s cigarette tax reportedly is the lowest in the US. (ci)