sin tax

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a tax levied on cigarettes, liquor, gambling, or other things considered neither luxuries nor necessities.

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sin tax British  

noun

1. informal a tax levied on something that is considered morally or medically harmful, such as alcohol or tobacco

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Etymology

Origin of sin tax

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

This is not the first time services for the state’s youngest children have been affected by reductions in a sin tax.

From Los Angeles Times

California voters eked out a win for children more than two decades ago based on a “sin tax.”

From Los Angeles Times

A few years ago, there was talk of a "sin tax" which would raise prices of unhealthy foods and drinks to discourage their consumption, but health experts say it never happened because of pushback from companies that market them.

From BBC

Quebec's tax could be framed as a "sin tax" similar to that placed on alcohol and cigarettes or as a tax on a health risk factor like private insurers charge, Raza said.

From Reuters

In a 2019 policy brief, the Pew Charitable Trust noted how difficult it is for states to estimate revenue from a previously illicit market, especially when there is not much of a track record for the recreational marijuana market in contrast to other “sin tax” revenue sources such as alcohol and tobacco.

From Washington Post