Wyoming
Wyoming Tops In The Nation For Outbound Cigarette Smuggling
Wyoming has the highest U.S. rate of outbound cigarette smuggling, the Tax Foundation reports.
The group released a study last week, announcing that 49.2% of Wyoming’s cigarette consumption goes to smugglers taking the product outside the state, based on 2022 data.
That’s the highest percentage of outbound smuggling for any U.S. state, based on each state’s cigarette consumption, meaning that Wyoming doesn’t have the highest volume of smuggled-out cigarettes, but that its sales have the highest chance of landing in black or grey markets in other states.
The study consists of estimates comparing states’ tax data to U.S. Census Bureau consumption surveys.
Adam Hoffer, director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that it’s worth noting how small Wyoming’s market is.
“Wyoming is a relatively small consumer of cigarettes, compared to somewhere like California,” he said. “So, small changes in consumption patterns can really swing that smuggling estimate.”
Hoffer, who wrote the Tax Foundation’s recent report, said that the group’s analysts have been “a little intrigued by Wyoming for several years.”
The state’s high smuggling rate is also augmented by the nearness of “more restrictive states,” like Utah and Colorado.
Utah’s 2022 inbound smuggling estimate is 20.46%, the report says — meaning about one-fifth of the cigarettes consumed in Utah were smuggled into it. It taxes cigarettes at $1.70 per pack.
Colorado’s inbound smuggling rate is similar, 19.86%. It taxes cigarettes at $1.94 per pack.
The Tax Foundation noticed an uptick in inbound smuggling in Colorado, plus an increase in outbound smuggling in nearby Wyoming, after Colorado doubled its per-pack tax rate in 2021.
In 2020 when Colorado’s cigarette tax was 84 cents per pack, its inbound smuggling comprised 7.96% of the state’s consumption, the group reported in 2022.
Wyoming’s outbound smuggling at that time comprised 24.35% of its own sales, and the state did not show the highest percentage in that area as it does in the more recent study.
Wyoming considered nearly doubling its cigarette tax rate in 2022, but the House Revenue Committee shut down that effort in 2023, by voting down a bill the joint version of that same committee had advanced before the lawmaking session.
Some Other Smuggler Favorites
Delaware sits in second place after Wyoming with 34.43% of its cigarette consumption going to out-of-state smuggling. New Hampshire is third, at 31.43%.
At 60 cents per pack, Wyoming doesn’t have the lowest cigarette taxation rate in the nation.
Of the 15 states besides Wyoming that show outbound cigarette smuggling, five of them have a lower tax rate per-pack than Wyoming, though all of them have indicated less outbound smuggling than the Cowboy State, according to the study.
For example, Missouri, which is No. 7 for outbound smuggling at 14.67%, only taxes cigarettes at 17 cents per pack.
But again, Hoffer noted, Missouri’s overall market is much larger than Wyoming’s so none of these figures undermine Missouri’s potentially large outbound smuggling volume.
“(Missouri) borders so many states that it is the hub of outbound cigarette smuggling for that region of the country,” said Hoffer. In other words, Missouri feeds its region with cigarettes.
“Probably (Missouri has) more net outbound smuggling than Wyoming, but it’s a smaller percentage of what’s consumed (there),” added Hoffer.
Idaho, the fifth-place state for outbound cigarette smuggling at 27.01%, taxes the product at 57 cents per pack, the study says.
North Dakota only taxes cigarettes at 44 cents a pack, yet ranks ninth for outbound smuggling at 13.83%.
Georgia taxes the product at 37 cents a pack, yet has an outbound smuggling rate of 3.14%, says the study. In the case of Georgia, outbound smuggling doesn’t make as much sense as in other areas, said Hoffer.
“Georgia borders North Carolina and is not far from Virginia,” Hoffer said. “If you’re going to smuggle form Georgia you’re probably only going to do so into Florida.”
North Carolina’s cigarettes are taxed at 45 cents per pack, and Virgina’s at 60 cents per pack, both low figures on the scale. Florida taxes them at $1.34 per pack.
Incoming
New York has the highest rate of inbound smuggling, the study says, with an estimated 54.3% of cigarettes consumed in the state coming from smuggled sources in 2022. The state taxes cigarettes at $4.35 per pack.
Next are California (46.7% smuggled of total consumed), New Mexico (41.2%), Massachusetts (39.7%) and Washington 36.8%).
Those four states tax cigarette packs at $2.87, $2, $3.51 and $3.03, respectively.
The Tax Foundation’s study also discusses other factors in the smuggling world, like flavor bans.
Massachusetts banned menthol cigarettes in June 2020. In the following year, its sales dropped by almost 24% compared to the year preceding the ban, says the study.
“This decline translates to $135 million less in cigarette tax revenue for Massachusetts,” the study notes.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.
Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.
The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.
“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”
Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.
“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”
The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.
“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”
There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.
“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”
Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.
“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”
Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.
“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”
That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.
“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”
The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:
Related
A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.
Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.
Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.
Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.
Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.
And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.
According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
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