ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, September 20, 1996             TAG: 9609200076
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: A-5  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS

TRADE GROUP SAYS TOBACCO A BOOST

Tobacco generated 161,870 jobs, $4.44 billion in wages and $1.98 billion in taxes in Virginia last year, according to the Tobacco Merchants Association of Princeton, N.J.

Citing data provided by the WEFA Group of Bela Cynwid, Pa., the industry trade group said nationwide tobacco accounted for 3.06 million jobs, $99.4 billion in wages and $66.4 billion in taxes to governments.

Tobacco's $173.51 billion contribution to the U.S. Gross National Product last year was about equal to the entire economies of both Austria and Turkey, the group said.

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