The Illegal Cigarette Trade in the United States

• In Event: The Illicit trade in Tobacco Products

Abstract

This paper examines the historical developments and current state of the illegal trade in cigarettes in the United States with a focus on the situation in New York City. Data are obtained from longitudinal litter pack surveys, a focus group study, a review of the academic literature, official crime data and media reports.The paper argues that the United States is a deviant case in the global landscape of illegal cigarette trading in that it is largely a case of domestic bootlegging between high-tax and low-tax jurisdictions within its borders.

Authors

• Klaus von Lampe, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Marin Kurti, Rutgers University

• John Bae, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY