Gov. Riley signs bill; cigarette tax up 26 cents a pack - Birmingham News
Riley signed the tobacco tax bill into law less than 24 hours after lawmakers passed it. The bill would have died without his signature. But with it, the state cigarette tax jumped from 16.5 cents to 42.5 cents per pack. Consumers may not see the price increase for a few weeks because distributors pay the state tax by affixing stamps on cigarette packs. Packs stamped by Tuesday at the lower tax rate must be sold by July 2. The new law also bans any city or county, starting today, from increasing local tobacco taxes.

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