Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 44-20 - Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Tax
Section 44-20-1. - Definitions.

§ 44-20-1. Definitions.
Whenever used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) “Administrator” means the tax administrator;
(2) “Cigarettes” means and includes any cigarettes suitable for smoking in cigarette form, and each sheet of cigarette rolling paper, including but not limited to, paper made into a hollow cylinder or cone, made with paper or any other material, with or without a filter suitable for use in making cigarettes;
(3) “Dealer” means any person whether located within or outside of this state, who sells or distributes cigarettes and/or other tobacco products to a consumer in this state;
(4) “Distributor” means any person:
(A) Whether located within or outside of this state, other than a dealer, who sells or distributes cigarettes and/or other tobacco products within or into this state. Such term shall not include any cigarette or other tobacco product manufacturer, export warehouse proprietor, or importer with a valid permit under 26 U.S.C. § 5712, if such person sells or distributes cigarettes and/or other tobacco products in this state only to licensed distributors, or to an export warehouse proprietor or another manufacturer with a valid permit under 26 U.S.C. § 5712;
(B) Selling cigarettes and/or other tobacco products directly to consumers in this state by means of at least twenty-five (25) vending machines;
(C) Engaged in this state in the business of manufacturing cigarettes and/or other tobacco products or any person engaged in the business of selling cigarettes and/or other tobacco products to dealers, or to other persons, for the purpose of resale only; provided, that seventy-five percent (75%) of all cigarettes and/or other tobacco products sold by that person in this state are sold to dealers or other persons for resale and selling cigarettes and/or other tobacco products directly to at least forty (40) dealers or other persons for resale; or
(D) Maintaining one or more regular places of business in this state for that purpose; provided, that seventy-five percent (75%) of the sold cigarettes and/or other tobacco products are purchased directly from the manufacturer and selling cigarettes and/or other tobacco products directly to at least forty (40) dealers or other persons for resale;
(5) “Importer” means any person who imports into the United States, either directly or indirectly, a finished cigarette or other tobacco product for sale or distribution;
(6) “Licensed,” when used with reference to a manufacturer, importer, distributor or dealer, means only those persons who hold a valid and current license issued under § 44-20-2 for the type of business being engaged in. When the term “licensed” is used before a list of entities, such as “licensed manufacturer, importer, wholesale dealer, or retailer dealer,” such term shall be deemed to apply to each entity in such list;
(7) “Manufacturer” means any person who manufactures, fabricates, assembles, processes, or labels a finished cigarette and/or other tobacco products;
(8) “Other tobacco products” (OTP) means any cigars (excluding Little Cigars, as defined in § 44-20.2-1, which are subject to cigarette tax), cheroots, stogies, smoking tobacco (including granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready rubbed and any other kinds and forms of tobacco suitable for smoking in a pipe or otherwise), chewing tobacco (including Cavendish, twist, plug, scrap and any other kinds and forms of tobacco suitable for chewing), any and all forms of hookah, shisha and “mu’assel” tobacco, snuff, and shall include any other articles or products made of or containing tobacco, in whole or in part, or any tobacco substitute, except cigarettes;
(9) “Person” means any individual, including an employee or agent, firm, fiduciary, partnership, corporation, trust, or association, however formed;
(10) “Pipe” means an apparatus made of any material used to burn or vaporize products so that the smoke or vapors can be inhaled or ingested by the user;
(11) “Place of business” means any location where cigarettes and/or other tobacco products are sold, stored, or kept, including, but not limited to; any storage room, attic, basement, garage or other facility immediately adjacent to the location. It also includes any receptacle, hide, vessel, vehicle, airplane, train, or vending machine;
(12) “Sale” or “sell” means gifts, exchanges, and barter of cigarettes and/or other tobacco products. The act of holding, storing, or keeping cigarettes and/or other tobacco products at a place of business for any purpose shall be presumed to be holding the cigarettes and/or other tobacco products for sale. Furthermore, any sale of cigarettes and/or other tobacco products by the servants, employees, or agents of the licensed dealer during business hours at the place of business shall be presumed to be a sale by the licensee;
(13) “Stamp” means the impression, device, stamp, label, or print manufactured, printed, or made as prescribed by the administrator to be affixed to packages of cigarettes, as evidence of the payment of the tax provided by this chapter or to indicate that the cigarettes are intended for a sale or distribution in this state that is exempt from state tax under the provisions of state law; and also includes impressions made by metering machines authorized to be used under the provisions of this chapter.
History of Section.P.L. 1939, ch. 663, § 1; P.L. 1940, ch. 875, § 1; P.L. 1948, ch. 2092, § 1; P.L. 1948, ch. 2094, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 44-20-1; P.L. 1968, ch. 263, art. 8, §§ 2, 3; P.L. 1978, ch. 167, § 3; P.L. 1988, ch. 129, art. 13, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 6, art. 27, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 246, art. 30, § 16; P.L. 2007, ch. 246, § 3; P.L. 2007, ch. 250, § 3; P.L. 2008, ch. 104, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 257, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 21, § 6; P.L. 2017, ch. 302, art. 8, § 15; P.L. 2018, ch. 346, § 30.

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