B 



popular among the Swiss who have long since remained 

 the top importer of Maryland tobacco. 



Almost one-half of the Maryland crop is exported. Of 

 about 29.1 million pounds used domestically in 1970, 

 12.2 million went to overseas buyers. Switzerland pur- 

 chased 7.2 million pounds. Next came West Germany, 

 2.0 million and Belgium, 1.4 million pounds. 



Exportation of tobacco to Switzerland became so 

 important that in 1950, a group of famiers created the 

 Maryland Tobacco Improvement Foundation, for re- 

 search and dissemination of data on Maryland tobacco 

 with particular emphasis on the grades used by Swiss 

 cigarette manufacturers. The Foundation receives sup- 

 port from some of the state's dealers, but primarily from 

 the Swiss tobacco manufacturers. 



olstering the revenues 



Tobacco consumption, as in the rest of the country, 

 seems to flow in a never-ending pattern in Maryland, 

 A trade estimate of the wholesale value of manufactured 

 tobacco products distributed within the state in 1970 is 

 in excess of $132 million. Of this total cigarettes rep- 

 resented over $100 million. Consumers have ready ac- 

 cess to tobacco through the some 25,032 retail outlets in 

 the state. 



Ever since a federal excise was established on manu- 

 factured tobacco, the various tobacco products have 

 been heavily taxed. Of all tobacco products taxed today, 

 cigarettes account for over 97 percent of the revenues 

 added to the federal treasury. The tax on finished com- 

 modities was first applied in 1862. Cigarettes were 



13 



