Congrats to South Carolina!

Congratulations certainly are in order for the great state of South Carolina! Both houses of the legislature passed by a majority a cigarette tax. Once the bill headed towards the desk of the Gov. Mark Sanford he vetoed it. Despite this hurdle, the legislature voted to override this veto. South Carolina had a cigarette tax of just $.07 prior to the passage of this measure. The measure raised the cigarette tax to $.57. Even with this increase South Carolina still ranks in the bottom 10 when it comes to the rate of cigarette taxes.

This was an incredible hurdle for the South Carolina, a strong tobacco state. This tough economy paired with the desire to improve public health finally pushed lawmakers to the brink of passage. Legislators found that increasing the cigarette tax will save lives and save money in health care costs. Congratulations!