Higher cigarette tax could save thousands of South Carolinians

Published on April 15, 2008 4:42 AM

In South Carolina, State Senate has increased the cigarettes tax. The tax increase fell well short of the 93-cent initiative favored by several prominent health groups in the state but at least the measure dedicates all new cigarette tax revenue toward health care.

Researchers show that raising the tobacco tax is one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking. An increase in the cost of cigarettes can have a significant impact on the smoking habits of young people who have little disposable income and are more likely to be discouraged by the higher price. Studies indicate that every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about 7%.

In a study was showed that cigarette tax revenue could help about 177,000 South Carolinians obtain health-care. According to health researchers, using cigarette tax revenue to expand health-care coverage makes perfect sense given the fact that smoking costs the state $1.09 billion annually in health-care bills, including $393 million in Medicaid payments alone.

The South Carolina Government sustained that $500 million collected from cigarettes tax will be given to Medicaid program for the poor, disabled and elderly.

The anti-tobacco researchers added that a higher cigarette tax could save thousands of South Carolinians from a premature, smoking-caused death. In South Carolina, tobacco demands more than 5,900 lives each year, but 7,300 more young people become smokers every year. This is a very terrify statistic because even more and more smokers die each year, people continue to smoke.

After an investigation, was found that higher cigarette tax is a very effective legislation in reducing smoking, 43 states and the District of Columbia have increased cigarette taxes just since Jan. 1, 2002, some more than once, bringing the average state cigarette tax to $1.11 a pack.

The higher cigarettes tax could reduce cigarette smoking in South Carolina too. But many of lawmakers and the South Carolina Government don't want to raise the cigarette tax without lowering another.

Increasing in South Carolina cigarette tax rate would reduce smoking, save lives, and reduce smoking-caused costs for government, the private-sector and households throughout the Commonwealth. In addition, it would provide millions of dollars in new revenues for health care reform and tobacco prevention.