However, instead of remaining tobacco-free in the wake of these policies, young people are turning to cheaper tobacco products due to the failure of federal and state governments to equalize tobacco taxes, so that other tobacco products, like cigars and smokeless tobacco, are taxed at a rate comparable to cigarettes. Earlier this year, the . Government Account- ability Office (GAO) released a study that found unequal tax rates among all tobacco products has led to “significant market shifts” as tobacco users switch from cigarettes to lower-priced products. .
