Revenue and State Cigarette Tax – Southeast

Suggested Chart

X axis: State cigarette tax    Y axis: One of the tax revenue variables

Size: Percentage of US population    Color: Price of a pack of cigarettes

As illustrated in this scatter plot, the relationship between state cigarette tax and state cigarette tax collections is linear. In 2000, Arkansas had the highest tax and generated the most income while Tennessee had the lowest tax and generated the lowest income in the Southeast. However, by 2008, each of our neighboring states had increased their state cigarette tax and generated substantially higher revenue from this tax.