On December 22, 2017, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. The information in this article predates the tax reform legislation and may not apply to tax returns starting in the 2018 tax year. You may wish to speak to your tax advisor about the latest tax law. This publication is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. This publication is protected by copyright.
The IRS has ruled that unreimbursed amounts paid by taxpayers for participation in smoking-cessation programs and for prescribed drugs designed to alleviate nicotine withdrawal are expenses for medical care that are deductible subject to the AGI limitation. However, because of the prohibition of deductions for most non-prescription drugs, no deductions are permitted for the costs of nonprescription nicotine gum and certain nicotine patches.