COLUMBIA, S.C. – “Nearly 40,000 South Carolinians will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Against that backdrop, lawmakers should be doing everything they can to reduce tobacco use in our state to save lives.
“Instead, during the most recent legislative session, South Carolina lawmakers passed and the Governor signed House Bill 4303 that lowers the tax on some tobacco products, making them cheaper and more accessible to anyone, including children. A staggering 17% of South Carolina high school students already use e-cigarettes, which is more than double the national average. There is no reason to make tobacco products cheaper, thereby addicting our next generation. That's how the tobacco industry protects its bottom line and makes people customers for life.
“We at ACS CAN stand ready to work with lawmakers in the future to pass a comprehensive tobacco tax increase and enact laws that will promote public health and reduce the cancer burden for everyone.”