South Carolina in 2010 will join seven other states whose government workers pay more for their state health insurance if they or their spouse uses tobacco, the Associated Press reported Aug. 14.

State budget leaders this month voted 3-2 in favor of imposing a $25 monthly surcharge on the premiums of state workers who smoke or use chewing tobacco. The proposal was the idea of Gov. Mark Sanford, but he actually voted against the approved measure because he did not see why the increase couldn't be imposed before the planned start date of Jan. 1, 2010.

The state budget board has reported that tobacco-related illnesses are responsible for 7 percent of the $1.1 billion spent for public employees' health care.

State workers will have to self-identify as nonsmokers in order not to be imposed the extra charge. The state has not decided how it will guard against employees' lying on their insurance forms. In Alabama, individuals who are caught lying — often because a co-worker tells supervisors about it — owe all back surcharges from the time they inaccurately completed their forms.

The governor said he is skeptical as to whether the surcharge will convince many employees or family members to stop smoking in the tobacco-friendly state, which has the nation's lowest cigarette tax at 7 cents a pack. Along with the disincentive to smoke, Sanford would like to include positive incentives in the state health insurance program for healthy behaviors such as exercise and proper nutrition.