Phil murphy just dropped a $51 million tax increase on cigarettes, tobacco, and vapes

Phil Murphy Just Dropped a $51 Million Tax Increase on Cigarettes, Tobacco, and Vapes

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1 min read
March 24, 2025

TRENTON, NJ — Smokers and vapers in New Jersey would pay more under Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed budget, which includes significant increases to tobacco and vapor product taxes projected to generate $51 million in new annual revenue.

Under the plan, the per-pack cigarette tax would rise from $2.70 to a flat $3.00, bringing in an estimated $41 million in the next fiscal year.

Key Points

  • Cigarette tax would increase from $2.70 to $3.00 per pack.
  • Vape liquid taxes would triple under Murphy’s proposal.
  • Combined, the tax hikes are projected to raise $51 million annually.

The proposal also targets vaping products, increasing the liquid nicotine tax from $0.10 to $0.30 per milliliter and tripling the container e-liquid tax from 10% to 30%. These changes are expected to add another $10 million in state revenue.

The tax hikes are part of Murphy’s broader budget strategy aimed at boosting state revenues through changes to health-related levies.

The tax hike plan would hit smokers and vapers with higher costs to bring millions into state coffers.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

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