Senator Chauncy Gregory
305 Gressette Building
PO Box 142
Columbia, SC 29202-0142
Subject: Increase the tax on cigarettes
Dear Senator Gregory:
South Carolina needs to raise the tax on cigarettes. One of the best methods for discouraging youth addiction to tobacco is increasing the price of cigarettes. Studies show that when the price of cigarettes goes up, youth and adult smoking rates go down. For every 10 percent increase in cigarette price, youth smoking rates will drop by about 7 percent and adult rates about 4 percent. Efforts to deter youth smoking have clear long term benefits.
Fewer smokers mean significant health care savings for South Carolina taxpayers. Our state spends $307 million in smoking related healthcare costs. A decrease in smoking rates, as a result of a 93 cent tax increase, will result in millions of dollars in future health care savings.
In addition, raising the cigarette tax will provide immediate relief to South Carolina's budget by creating a new revenue stream.
Save lives, help fund tobacco control programs and raise new revenue for South Carolina at the same time. Support a 93-cent increase in the cigarette excise tax. It's a win-win solution for South Carolina.
Sincerely,
Charlotte Bowman
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