Cigarette sales in Wisconsin fall due to taxes, smoking bans and report results

Cigarette sales in Wisconsin have fallen sharply over the past 20 years due to tax increases and smoking bans, according to a report released Wednesday.

The number of packs of cigarettes purchased in the state has dropped from 420 million in 2001 to just under 193 million in 2022, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. On a per capita basis, more than 32 packs of cigarettes were sold per inhabitant in 2022, compared to almost 78 in 2001.

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According to a recent report, anti-tobacco regulations in Wisconsin have effectively discouraged cigarette purchases for the past 20 years.

During this time, the state’s smoking ban went into effect, taxes on cigarettes tripled, and substitute products such as vaping increased, the report notes. A statewide smoking ban, including bars and restaurants, went into effect in 2011. State taxes were increased in 2002, 2008 and 2009, and federal taxes were also increased in 2002 and 2009.

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This report only lists legally purchased cigarettes. It notes that due to higher taxes in Wisconsin, some smokers may have been illegally smuggling cigarettes or purchasing them legally in other states where taxes are lower.

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Wisconsin’s current tax on a pack of cigarettes is $2.52, which is higher than the media’s $1.78 and ranks 16th highest.