Shelby Sebens on How Cigarette Smuggling Makes Nanny State Taxes Go Up in Smoke
Credit: lanier67 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-NDThe state of Washington has a
smuggling problem, exacerbated by a large tax gap with its
neighbors. The state’s tax on cigarettes is $3.02 a pack,
compared to $1.18 in Oregon and 57 cents in Idaho.
In the border cities of Washington, writes Shelby Sebens, the ease
of hopping the state line for cheaper smokes is just too tempting
for some.