The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has suspended its tobacco tax for some tribal smoke shops.

Retailers within 20 miles of the Texas, Kansas and Missouri borders won't have to pay the tribal tax. Council members believe this will help smoke shops that were hurt by a recent state arbitration ruling.

The ruling said that some border retailers violated the tribal-state tobacco compact by selling cheap cigarettes to non-border smoke shops. After the practice was halted, tobacco sales dropped 33 percent, a tribal tax commissioner said last month.

Cherokee council approves suspension of cigarette tax (The Tulsa World 5/14)
Council rescinds tobacco tax for some smoke shops (The Tahlequah Daily Press 5/13)

Related Stories:
Cherokee Nation weighs tobacco tax suspension (04/25)
Oklahoma weighs action on tribal tobacco (4/23)
State rejects lower tobacco tax for Cherokee Nation (4/21)
Cherokee Nation wants lower tobacco tax rate (4/9)
Muscogee Nation considers tobacco tax compact (4/3)
Editorial: What's next in tobacco compact fight? (4/1)
Ruling faults Cherokee Nation on tobacco compact (3/28)