State Cigarette Minimum Price Laws—United States, 2009

April 9, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. 13

MMWR Introduction

A new CDC report found that as of December 31, 2009, 24 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring that cigarettes be sold at a minimum price or at a minimum retail or wholesale markup. These minimum price laws could meaningfully raise cigarette prices, especially in states with low cigarette excise taxes. Data show that higher cigarette prices lead to to reducing the number of youths who take up smoking, reducing the number of cigarettes that adults smoke, and encouraging current smokers to try quitting.