(AP) -- Health-related groups are rallying support for a 50 cents-a-pack cigarette tax increase before the Senate debates raising South Carolina's lowest-in-the-nation tax this week.

One group sent mailers last week encouraging people to call legislators and reject efforts by what they call "big tobacco" to stall the bill. Reynolds American is a donor to the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers, which has previously sent mailings to mostly Republican homes trying to stop the increase.

The Senate is expected to debate raising the seven cents-a-pack tax Tuesday.

Plans call for $5 million of the $152 million raised to pay for efforts to get people to stop smoking or never start. The rest would be split between expanding Medicaid programs and tax credits to help businesses buy insurance for their workers.

Email To A Friend