Voters Overwhelmingly Embrace Increase Tax on Vapes
Sooner Survey: Volume 36 No. 5 | September 16, 2025
By Pat McFerron, President
Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associate
@McFerron
More than 20 years ago, Oklahoma voters went to the polls and by a 7-point margin approved SQ 713 that increased the tax on cigarettes and tobacco products the equivalent of four cents per cigarette, or 80 cents per pack. At that time, more than 26% of Oklahomans were smoking, Today it is now below 16%. This 10 percent change would indicate that passing a cigarette tax may well be even easier today, and the polling certainly reflects that.
Currently 65% of voters support a tax increase equivalent to $1.50 per pack on cigarettes and only 30% oppose doing so. This is substantially stronger than the 52%-41% margin recorded leading up to the 2004 vote on SQ 713 – and even the 62% support we had in April of 2017 when tobacco taxes were being discussed during that budget crisis which resulted in a legislatively approved $1 per pack increase.
Not only do 65% support an increase, but a remarkable 48% say they strongly favor an increase – more than twice the percentage that say they strongly oppose (22%). While this is led by women (70% Favor) and those in urban areas (69% Favor) we still have super-majorities of men (60% Favor) and rural residents (61% Favor) also supporting. We also see very strong support among registered voters under 45 years of age (75% Favor) and those in households with incomes in excess of $100,000 a year (72% Favor). The only place we see below 60% support is in the rural southeast, where support is still solid (55% Favor / 42% Oppose).
Perhaps most stunning is how well a tobacco tax does among Republicans (60% Favor / 35% Oppose) and among those Republicans with a history of voting in Republican primaries (60% Favor / 34% Oppose).
Given the support of Republicans and Republican primary voters, it comes as no surprise that 60% of self-described conservatives are also supportive. This very well could be the only type of tax that would have this type of support.
While the support for a tobacco tax increase seems strong, it is rather small when compared to support for taxing vapes, or e-cigarettes, in a manner comparable to tobacco products. Here we have an incredible 76% being in favor and an even more stunning 63% strongly favoring this change. When it comes to vaping, we do not see much of a partisan difference with 74% of Republicans and 78% of Democrats being supportive. For almost every sub-group, we see at least 75% supporting a tax on vaping.
While Oklahoma remains a strongly conservative state, that ideological anti-tax bent is abandoned when it comes to tobacco and related taxes. This makes this an easier path to increase revenue should changes at the federal level require the state to make difficult choices, especially as it relates to Medicaid funding. While our other polling shows support for cutting the income tax and a growing concern about property taxes, a substantial tobacco tax increase is very popular among Sooner State voters.. ◊
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