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The recent average price stood at about $6.50 a pack, before taking into account the higher federal tax, the higher Rhode Island tax, and the overall impact of Rhode Island state sales tax, he said.

Thus, smokers will face an increase of about $1.74 a pack - a 27-percent hike.

Rhode Island is the first state with a cigarette tax of $3 or more, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The group says that 12 states and the District of Columbia have cigarette tax rates of $2 or more per pack; 26 states and the District of Columbia have cigarette tax rates of $1 or more per pack.

At least 22 states have legislation pending to increase tobacco taxes, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The increase in Rhode Island's cigarette tax is the result of a supplemental budget that was approved by the General Assembly and took effect earlier this week without Governor Carcieri's signature. The measure is intended to close a state budget deficit of more than $350 million for the year ending June 30.

The increase in the federal cigarette tax springs from legislation approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 4 as part of a measure to provide health insurance for children.

After the close of business today, retailers in Rhode Island must conduct an inventory of the cigarettes they have available for sale, then pay to Rhode Island the extra $1 in cigarette tax per pack, Sullivan said.

State tax officials are gearing up to enforce the new law. On Friday, at least 20 teams of auditors from the state Division of Taxation will visit retailers "to help them [regarding] their inventory and answer any questions they may have," Sullivan said in an interview at state tax agency headquarters in Providence.

"We're obviously going to be on the road" on Friday, visiting convenience stores and other locations where cigarettes are sold, Sullivan said.

A separate tax increase took effect on Wednesday for pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and certain other tobacco products. That tax, which was 40 percent of the wholesale price, doubled to 80 percent.