Cigarettes Would Be Taxed $2 More With New Increase

An initiative that would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2 in Montana has been cleared to get signatures so it can be placed on the November ballot.

Montana Secretary of State, Corey Stapleton, has approved the petition for signature gathering Monday, supporters will try to get the 25,500 signatures that are required to get it to the ballot.

The Healthy Montana Initiative raises taxes on tobacco products as well as e-cigarettes and vaping items to generate revenue to fund Medicaid expansion. According to the attorney general's office, the increased taxes would generate more than $74 million each year by 2023.