Last spring, the cigar industry fretted that the federal government might tax so-called "little cigars" into oblivion. ...more

November 4, 2009

Governor Charlie Crist has announced the initial results of the first two months of enrollment in Cover Florida Health Care plans. ...more

April 4, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - John Vazquez was so angry that smoke was practically coming out his ears. ...more

April 2, 2009

Julie Spitzer dug into her purse Wednesday morning and pulled out exact change for a pack of her favorite cigarettes. ...more

April 2, 2009

Federal excise tax on cigarettes went into effect Wednesday. ...more

April 1, 2009

MIAMI — Inside the rolling room of El Credito Cigar Company, the air is earthy and fragrant, a mix of coffee and nuts tinged with caramel and leather. Amid those sweet smells, though, workers are worried about a new federal tobacco tax that threatens Florida's $2 billion cigar industry. Starting today, the tax increased from 5 cents to about 40 cents on large cigars, a little less on smaller stogies. Cigar makers say the increase will torch jobs and profits — what's left of them in the recession. ...more

April 1, 2009

Nicotine fiends who make it a habit to roll their own butts and save a few bucks will see their savings go up in smoke Wednesday when a new federal excise tax on tobacco kicks in. ...more

March 26, 2009

Santiago Carrasco, store manager of Tobacco Depot on Bloomingdale Avenue, said that about the time gas hit $4 a gallon, smokers with pipe dreams about saving a few bucks came in packs to his store to ask how – and how much it would cost - to roll their own cigarettes. But the do-it-yourself department that has been positively smokin' for some eight months is about to be extinguished, he said. An enormous price increase in conjunction with the federal excise tax that takes effect April 1 has already begun to snuff it out. ...more

March 20, 2009

A new report shows Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of people losing their health coverage. ...more

March 7, 2009

Most Republican governors have broken with their GOP colleagues in Congress and are pushing for passage of President Barack Obama's economic aid plan that would send billions to states for education, public works and health care. ...more

February 1, 2009