Five states to increase cigarette tax on July 1, 2010..

June 30, 2010 -

* Hawaii, New Mexico, South Carolina and Utah's excise tax increases go into effect July 1, 2010. Also, New York, a $1.60 increase will take the tax there to $4.35 a pack, the highest in the country. South Carolina will add 50¢ for a new tax of 57¢ per pack, meaning that it will no longer have the lowest tax in the country, a distinction that will pass to Missouri, which imposes 17¢ a pack. In Hawaii, taxes will be increased by 40¢ to $3 per pack; in New Mexico a 75¢ rise will take the tax there to $1.66 per pack; and Utah will add $1 to take its tax to $1.70 per pack.

Reference: State Cigarette Excise Taxes: 2010, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).