In the last year, Florida cigarette sales have decreased by 28 percent.
According to Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 76.8 million packs of cigarettes were sold between July 2008 and 2009 - down from 106.6 million the previous year.
The new dollar-a-pack tax implemented in June has also taken a toll - sales from June to July of this year went down 17 percent, according to the report.
"It's because of the new tax," said Matt Pritchett, a UF sophomore. "People just don't want to pay it."
Sunoco employee Doug said he has seen a recent decrease in sales but not a significant drop.
"People are still smoking, still buying," Doug said. "We still have our regular customers come in and buy cigarettes from us."
Amy Patel, manager of BP, East University Avenue, said people are more upset about losing flavored cigarettes than about the tax, and sales haven't been affected.
"We haven't had a problem, not with the students here," Patel said. "Students will always buy what they want."
But Pritchett said he knows some people who have quit because of the price increase.
He is also trying to cut back, he said, and now rolls most of his cigarettes because it's cheaper.
Pritchett isn't against the tax, though.
"It's better to tax cigarettes than cut schools or tax food," Pritchett said. "It's a sin tax, can't really complain about it."
