SAN DIEGO – A movement to bump California’s cigarette tax up $2 per pack has garnered enough signatures to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, the Associated Press reports. Campaign supporters hope that the increase would stop young people from smoking, while funding anti-smoking initiatives and tobacco-related illness research.

If approved by voters, the increase would push the average cost of cigarettes to $7.50 per pack. “This is going to make smokers pay their fair share [of health costs],” said Tom Steyer, who gave $1 million to the campaign.

Supporters claim a million signatures have been gathered, of which 585,407 must be verified as registered voters for the proposal to appear on the ballot. The petition signatures are being delivered to counties throughout the state for verification.

By raising the cigarette tax by $2, California would have the ninth-highest tax in the United States. New York sits at the top with $4.35 tax per pack, while Missouri ranks on the bottom with 17 cents tax per pack.

California already raised the tobacco-buying age from 18 to 21 starting June 9. The state has an exemption for military personnel. For more on why states and municipalities continue to increase the age limit for tobacco purchases, read “Must Be 21 to Buy” in the March issue of NACS Magazine.