By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The state Senate approved a 90 million dollar increase in the state tobacco tax Thursday. The bill would add 23 cents per pack to name brands cigarettes that participate in the national tobacco settlement. Taxes would increase to 63 cents a pack for brands that do not participate in the settlement. Those are mostly generic brands. The tobacco tax increases also must go back to the House to work out some differences. The House approved a smaller tax hike last month.