Taxes, Regulation, & Enforcement

Little Cigar and Cigarillo Sales on the Rise, New Regulation is Needed
By February 8, 2019 0 Comments Read More →

Little Cigar and Cigarillo Sales on the Rise, New Regulation is Needed

A recent study reveals that over the last decade, as cigarette sales continue to decline, cigar sales have nearly doubled. Most concerning is 91% of the cigar market is dominated by little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs), many of which are flavored, using the same chemicals found in candy. The availability of LCCs is rising as […]

Marketing of Flavored Cigarettes Continued After Ban

Marketing of Flavored Cigarettes Continued After Ban

In an effort to reduce the appeal of tobacco products and discourage young people from smoking, several governments have banned the sale of flavored cigarettes. In the United States, the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act prohibits companies from selling cigarettes with artificial flavors, such as strawberry and grape, with the exception of menthol. Nonetheless, […]

Despite Regulation, Minors Can Still Buy Cigarettes Online
By August 12, 2016 Read More →

Despite Regulation, Minors Can Still Buy Cigarettes Online

In a new study, online vendors shipped cigarettes to minors via the U.S. Postal Service. Many also advertised products banned in the United States. Many regulations seek to curtail youth access to cigarettes and discourage tobacco vendors from marketing their products to minors. These include federal age verification requirements, shipping regulations, and bans on certain […]

Reaction to Major FDA Regulatory Announcement

Reaction to Major FDA Regulatory Announcement

ITV study director Rebecca S. Williams, Ph.D., applauds the FDA’s decision to extend its authority over all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

“Light” and Flavored Tobacco Available Online Despite Bans
By March 7, 2016 Read More →

“Light” and Flavored Tobacco Available Online Despite Bans

  In an effort to curb misleading advertising and discourage smoking among young people, the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act created new restrictions on cigarette manufacturing and marketing. This study, which assessed compliance with these restrictions among Internet-based tobacco vendors, found high rates of noncompliance, particularly among vendors based outside the United […]

Despite Law, Cigarettes Sold Cheap and Tax-Free Online
By March 7, 2016 Read More →

Despite Law, Cigarettes Sold Cheap and Tax-Free Online

Many tobacco control efforts focus on raising prices and taxes as a way to discourage smoking for public health benefits. But previous research has shown that these efforts can be undermined by online tobacco vendors, who often advertise selling cigarettes “tax-free” and at prices lower than can be found in brick-and-mortar retail outlets. In this […]

Internet Cigarette Vendor Compliance with Credit Card Payment and Shipping Bans

Internet Cigarette Vendor Compliance with Credit Card Payment and Shipping Bans

Online cigarette vendors have long been known to violate taxation and youth access laws. This led to a pair of voluntary agreements in 2005 that limit how people can purchase and receive cigarettes from online vendors. One agreement bans the processing of credit card payments for tobacco purchased online. The other bans the delivery of […]

Internet Cigarette Sales and Native American Sovereignty

Internet Cigarette Sales and Native American Sovereignty

Cigarettes are often sold tax-free on the Internet by companies claiming affiliation with Native American tribes. These vendors can offer substantially lower cigarette prices than are available elsewhere because they allow consumers to circumvent the excise taxes that many states impose to curtail smoking. This study examines the historical policy context and public health ramifications […]

Effectiveness of State and Federal Government Agreements with Major Credit Card and Shipping Companies to Block Illegal Internet Cigarette Sales

Effectiveness of State and Federal Government Agreements with Major Credit Card and Shipping Companies to Block Illegal Internet Cigarette Sales

Cigarettes available online are often sold tax-free and can easily fall into the hands of minors. In a 2005 effort to better enforce tax and youth access laws, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and several state Attorneys General signed voluntary agreements with major credit card and shipping companies to ban payment […]

A Comprehensive Review of State Laws Governing Internet and Other Delivery Sales of Cigarettes in the United States

A Comprehensive Review of State Laws Governing Internet and Other Delivery Sales of Cigarettes in the United States

All U.S. states regulate face-to-face sales of cigarettes at retail outlets, but those regulations rarely extend to cigarettes sold online or through the mail. The growth of Internet and mail-order tobacco sales led to new state regulations designed to prevent tax evasion and illegal sales to minors. This paper offers a comprehensive review of such […]

Internet Cigarette Vendors’ Lack of Compliance with a California State Law Designed to Prevent Tobacco Sales to Minors

Internet Cigarette Vendors’ Lack of Compliance with a California State Law Designed to Prevent Tobacco Sales to Minors

When it was enacted in 2002, California’s law BP § 22963 was one of the country’s most stringent laws restricting minors’ ability to buy cigarettes online. Its six provisions were designed to make it difficult for Internet-based cigarette vendors to sell cigarettes to minors by imposing new age verification requirements, delivery processes, minimum order sizes, […]

Stopping Internet-Based Tobacco Sales Through Domain Name Seizure

Stopping Internet-Based Tobacco Sales Through Domain Name Seizure

Online tobacco sales can offer minors access to cigarettes and allow sellers to circumvent tobacco taxes—costs that are borne largely by states. This legal analysis argues that states should consider shutting down online tobacco vendors by seizing their Web addresses, also known as domain names. The analysis highlights the relevant federal and state regulations that […]