Bill Would Increase Delaware’s Cigar Tax to 45 Percent

[JohnS]

June 6, 2025 - Charlie Minato

Bill Would Increase Delaware’s Cigar Tax to 45 Percent

A bill introduced today in the Delaware House of Representatives would increase the cigar taxes in the state by 50 percent.

Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, D-New Castle, introduced H.B. 215, a bill that would adjust the tax rates on tobacco and vaping products. For cigars and pipe tobacco, the bill would increase the current rate of 30 percent of the wholesale price to 45 percent.

For consumers, a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50 likely pays around $1.425 in tobacco taxes, meaning the cigar might cost $10.93 before sales tax. If H.B. 215 goes into effect, the taxes increase to $2.1375, meaning a sticker price of $11.64 using standard industry margins.

In addition, H.B. 215 would increase the the tax on cigarettes from 10.5 cents to 18 cents per cigarette, the tax on moist snuff from 92 cents per ounce to $1.23, and increase the tax on vaping liquid from 5 cents per ml to 25 cents per ml.

Because the bill affects all tobacco products, the bill will likely face opposition from a wide range of groups, including c-store owners. However, Minor-Brown is the speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives and the bill’s six other co-sponsors include the majority leaders and majority whips of both chambers as well as the president pro tempore of the Delaware Senate.

Source: https://halfwheel.com/bill-would-increase-delawares-cigar-tax-to-45-percent/452178/