Minnesota Cigarette Prices Increase January 1, 2016

UNDATED -- It's going to cost Minnesota smokers more to light up in 2016. An automatic inflationary adjustment to the state's excise tax will take effect tomorrow (Friday). It means Minnesotans will be paying more for cigarettes in the new year.

Some estimates have the tax increase at 12-cents per pack, but the manager of the Smoke Shop in St. Cloud says he was told by the state of Minnesota it translates to a 17-cent-per-pack increase.

Republican State Representative Tim O'Driscoll of Sartell says he's not in favor of an automatic annual increase and would like to see the legislature re-visit the issue of all taxes every year.

However, O'Driscoll says the high tax on cigarettes is meant to deter young people from starting to smoke and prompting existing smokers to quit.

Minnesota also has a 95% excise tax already in place on other tobacco products like cigars and chewing tobacco.