AUGUSTA — Democrats on the state budget writing committee voted Wednesday in support of a $1.50 per pack increase in the cigarette tax. 

The Appropriations Committee is working to craft a new budget to supplement the $11.3 billion, two-year spending plan passed in March.

In January, the American Cancer Society said it would push lawmakers to enact a $2 per pack increase in the tax, saying it would reduce health care costs and prompt more people to quit smoking.

A few weeks later, Gov. Janet Mills proposed a $1 per pack increase in her budget proposal.

Then on Wednesday, Democrats on the Appropriations Committee voted along party lines to support a $1.50 increase in the tax. If approved by the full Legislature, it’s estimated to generate about $110 million in new revenue over the next two years.

Rep. Ken Fredette (R-Newport) said he was disappointed to see a tax increase in the budget, particularly one that will hurt those who can least afford it.

“This is a significant tax increase,” he said. “It’s a tax increase on a lot of families. It represents a lack of real prioritization in the budget.”

Sen. Cameron Reny (D-Round Pond) said after she watched a family member die of cancer, she supports the increase.

“I do know this is going to be a hardship on some,” she said. “My sympathies have shifted a bit.”

States decide their own tax rates for cigarettes, with the current national average coming in at $1.93 per pack, according to the American Lung Association.

Maine currently adds a $2 per pack tax, with Connecticut at $4.35, Massachusetts at $3.51, New Hampshire at $1.78, Rhode Island at $4.25 and Vermont at $3.08, according to the lung association.

The American Cancer Society and Maine Public Health Association said Thursday they support the proposed increase.

“Raising the tobacco tax is an evidence-based policy that reduces youth tobacco use and helps ensure that the next generation of Maine youth grows up free from tobacco addiction and harm,” said Matthew Wellington, associate director of the public health association. “It’s a long overdue step that will save lives and help reduce the burden of cancer in Maine communities.”

The House and Senate will likely vote on the budget next week as the Legislature looks to wrap up work for the year June 18.