For years, the President has struggled with a much publicized nicotine addiction, and this executive decision is bound to raise the hackles of nutrition experts, not to mention closer to home, where the First Lady, Michelle Obama, has advocated healthy eating habits and exercise. When asked if that may create tension within the White House, the President replied I hope not.

Other items disallowed on the food stamp list include vitamins, medicine, hot food or food eaten in a store, live animals, and cosmetics.

Major tobacco manufacturers and alcohol distributors have been slow to overly praise the decision, seen as controversial from both sides of the political aisle. Members of the GOP have also remained strangely silent in their usual criticism of the President s every action, owing to the fact that many members of Congress are on vacation and receive large subsidies from the alcohol and tobacco industries.

The next national economic report won t be issued until after the 2014 holidays, when the success or failure of the President s latest executive order to jump start the economy will be adequately measured.

What a pack of cigarettes costs now, state by state – the awl

Cigarettes online Blog Archive Eu goes menthol – telegraph blogs

This list has been updated, as of August 2014. Click here!

Smokers, flee New York City and head to Kentucky, where a pack of Marlboro Reds will cost you practically a third of what you re paying now. And while you re on the road, steer clear of New Hampshire and Vermont, too the price for a pack has jumped 35% and 25%, respectively, over the past year.

We called a gas station and oftentimes, when we were turned away or simply misunderstood, we called several in the most populous city of every state in the nation and Washington D.C. and asked the clerk for the price of a pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes including tax. (Obviously, local prices will vary some.)

Here s the current price, in bold, and also how the prices of cigarettes have changed since last summer.

48. Kentucky (last year $6.56) $4.96 24%

47. North Dakota ($5.03) $5.04 .2%

46. West Virginia ($4.84) $5.07 5%

45. Oklahoma ($5.24) $5.19 .1%

44. Idaho ($5.11) $5.25 3%

43. Missouri ($5.87) $5.25 10%

42. Louisiana ($6.50) $5.33 18%

41. Oregon ($5.74) $5.35 7%

40. Wyoming ($5.21) $5.37 3%

39. Mississippi ($5.55) $5.45 2%

38. Nevada ($6.04) $5.50 9%

37. South Carolina ($6.25) $5.55 11%

36. Colorado ($5.19) $5.59 8%

35. Indiana ($5.56) $5.77 4%

34. Alabama ($5.18) $5.80 12%

33. Virginia ($5.43) $5.81 7%

32. Ohio ($5.67) $5.88 4%

31. Tennessee ($4.91) $5.89 20%

30. Georgia ($5.93) $5.93 0%

29. Minnesota ($5.96) $5.95 .2%

28. Florida ($6.29), Delaware ($6.10) $6.00 5%, 2%

27. North Carolina ($5.14) $6.03 17%

26. Nebraska ($5.99) $6.09 2%

25. Kansas ($6.47) $6.21 4%

24. Montana ($6.12) $6.25 2%

23. Arkansas ($7.10) $6.50 8%

22. New Hampshire ($4.86) $6.59 35%

21. Utah ($6.88) $6.64 3%

20. California ($6.45), South Dakota ($6.82) $6.77 5%, .7%

19. New Mexico ($6.69) $6.91 3%

18. Michigan ($6.50), Pennsylvania ($6.93) $6.95 7%, .3%

17. Maine ($6.97) $7.12 2%

16. Texas ($6.89) $7.24 5%

15. Iowa ($7.52) $7.25 4%

14. D.C. ($8.27) $7.89 5%

13. Maryland ($6.53) $7.93 21%

12. Wisconsin ($7.98) $8.11 2%

11. Washington ($8.98) $8.31 7%

10. New Jersey ($8.00) $8.55 7%

9. Massachusetts ($8.49) $8.77 3%

8. Connecticut ($8.85) $9.30 5%

7. Vermont ($7.60) $9.52 25%

6. Rhode Island ($8.16) $9.56 17%

5. Alaska ($9.39) $9.59 2%

4. Arizona ($7.46) $9.65 29%

3. Hawaii ($10.22) $9.68 5%

2. Illinois ($10.25) $11.59 13%

1. New York ($12.50) $14.50 16%

Sarah Jampel is an Awl summer reporter.