COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina is no longer the state with the lowest excise tax rate on cigarettes. Yesterday the state Senate voted to override the governor??s veto and increase the tax from 7 cents per pack to 57 cents per pack beginning July 1, the Associated Press reports.

The news source writes that, according to lawmakers in border counties, the tax increase would cost jobs because South Carolina convenience stores would lose business to stores in North Carolina, where the tax is 45 cents per pack, and in Georgia, where it is 37 cents per pack.

Missouri now has the lowest state excise tax rate per pack at 17 cents. Rhode Island has the highest state excise tax rate at $3.46 per pack.