Every distributor shall pay a tax upon his or her distributions of cigarettes at the rate of one and one-half mills ($0.0015) for the distribution after 4:00 a.m. on July 1, 1959, of each cigarette until 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1967, at the rate of three and one-half mills ($0.0035) for the distribution of each cigarette on and after August 1, 1967, until 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 1967, at the rate of five mills ($0.005) on and after 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 1967, until 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 1994, and at the rate of six mills ($0.006) on and after 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 1994.