US: 22K Signatures Submitted to Raise North Dakota Tobacco Taxes

Source from:  AP 07/08/2016

Supporters of an initiative campaign that seeks to increase the state's tobacco tax have turned in more than 22,000 petition signatures on Thursday.

The Raise It For Health North Dakota coalition wants to raise the state's 44-cent cigarette tax to $1.76 per pack.

The measure's backers must have 13,500 qualified signatures to put it to a statewide vote in the November general election.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger has about one month to decide whether the petitions are sufficient.

North Dakota ranks 47th among states in the amount of tax paid by smokers. Retailers have successfully fought off several attempts to raise the state's tobacco tax in the past two decades. The last increase was imposed in 1993. Enditem