Maryland Call To Action
Maryland Call To Action
Maryland Tobacco Tax Initiative
Link to SB631
Link to HB1153
These bills would:
Cause smokeless tobacco products to be taxed at 5-6 times the current tax (the Senate bill would increase tax to 70%, the House bill would tax it at 95%.)
Companion bills have been introduced to both the Senate (SB631) and the House of Representatives (HB1153). The Senate bill has been referred to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, and the House bill to the House Ways and Means Committee and House Health and Government Operations Committee. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will hold a public hearing on SB631 on Wednesday, March 7th at 1:00pm; the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing on HB1153 on Friday, March 9th at 1:00pm. Public testimony will be allowed from attendees wishing to speak. We strongly encourage local tobacco harm reduction advocates to attend these meetings. If you would like assistance with what to say, please contact us at [email protected].
Please call, write or fax the members of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee below.
(When writing to the Senate refer to SB2819, with the House refer to HB2557.)
1. Let them know that you oppose a tax increase on smokeless tobacco products.
2. Tell your story on how switching from cigarettes to a far less hazardous smoke-free tobacco product has changed your life.
3. Explain that the purpose of increasing cigarette tax rates was to reimburse state expenditures for treating the many diseases caused by cigarette smoking. Because smokeless tobacco products have been found to be around 99% less harmful than cigarettes, there is no justification for such an outrageously excessive tax, which would discourage smokers from switching to a less harmful alternative.
4. Because smokeless tobacco products are taxed at a much lower rate in neighboring states, many or most smokeless tobacco users in MD will travel a short distance to a neighboring state to buy tobacco, which will result in very little tax revenue increase for Maryland. Adjacent states include: PA (no smokeless tax), WV (7% of wholesale price), VA (10% of manufacturer’s price) and DE (15% of wholesale price).
5. Sharply increasing the smokeless tobacco tax rate also will encourage former smokers who had switched to using smokeless tobacco products to return to smoking.
6. Tell them that by switching to a smokeless product, you have greatly reduced your health risks.
7. Direct them to the CASAA.org website for more information.
Contact information
Senate Budget and Taxation Committee (B&T) – SB631
Comma delimited email list:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Semicolon delimited list:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
3 West, Miller Senate Building, Annapolis, MD 21401
(410-841-3690 Annapolis/Baltimore or 301-858-3690 Washington, D.C.)
Chair: Edward J. Kasemeyer
[email protected]
3 West Miller Senate Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3653 or 301-858-3653
Vice Chair: Nathaniel J. McFadden
[email protected]
422 Miller Senate Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3165
David R. Brinkley
[email protected]
420 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3704 or 410-841-3704
Nancy J. King
[email protected]
222 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3686
Richard F. Colburn
[email protected]
315 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3590
Richard S. Madaleno, Jr.
[email protected]
203 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3137
Ulysses Currie
[email protected]
201 James Senate Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3127
Roger P. Manno
[email protected]
3 West Miller Senate Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3151
James E. DeGrange, Sr.
[email protected]
101 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3593 or 301-858-3593
Douglas J. J. Peters
[email protected]
121 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3631
George C. Edwards
[email protected]
322 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3565
James N. Robey
[email protected]
120 James Senate Office Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3572 or 410-841-3572
Verna L. Jones-Rodwell
[email protected]
420 Miller Senate Bldg.
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3612
House Ways and Means Committee (W&M) – HB1153
Room 131, House Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401-1912
(410-841-3469 Annapolis/Baltimore or 301-858-3469 Washington, D.C.)
Comma delimited list:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Semicolon delimited list:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Chair: Sheila E. Hixson
[email protected]
131 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3469
Vice Chair: Samuel I. Rosenberg
[email protected]
131 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3297
Kathryn L. Afzali
[email protected]
319 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3800
Anne R. Kaiser
[email protected]
151 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3036
Kumar P. Barve
[email protected]
361 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3464
Eric G. Luedtke
[email protected]
222 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3110 or 301-858-3110
Joseph C. Boteler III
[email protected]
326 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3365
Aruna Miller
[email protected]
225 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3090
Talmadge Branch
[email protected]
151 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3398
LeRoy E. Myers, Jr.
[email protected]
215 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3321
Jon S. Cardin
[email protected]
304 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3833
Justin D. Ross
[email protected]
151 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3652
Mark N. Fisher
[email protected]
151 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3652
Andrew A. Serafini
[email protected]
215 House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3447
C. William Frick
[email protected]
219 House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3454
Melvin L. Stukes
[email protected]
412 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3544
Ron George
[email protected]
163 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3439 or 301-858-3439
Michael Summers
[email protected]
203 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3340
Glen Glass
[email protected]
325 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3257
Frank S. Turner
[email protected]
206 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
410-841-3246 or 401-841-3246
Carolyn J. B. Howard
[email protected]
301 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3919
Jay Walker
[email protected]
204 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3581
Jolene Ivey
[email protected]
207 House Office Bldg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
301-858-3478
Source: http://www.casaa.org/CTA/article.asp?articleID=236
