Sacramento, U.S.A. — Tobacco interests spent a total of $4.7 million during the first year of the 2011-2012 election cycle to fight Proposition 29 and to influence legislators and policies in California, according to a recent report by the Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing of the American Lung Association in California.

“The numbers in this report are clear, Big Tobacco continues to use its vast financial resources to oppose bills and life-saving ballot initiatives that would benefit public health,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO of the American Lung Association in California. “This fact, though disturbing, further inspires the American Lung Association and millions of Californians to stop Big Tobacco in its tracks. We are committed to preventing children from ever picking up their first cigarette, helping smokers quit and fighting the lung diseases that so often result from smoking. We will not relent until smoking is eradicated in California.”

Tobacco Money in California Politics shows that tobacco interests contributed almost $3.6 million to candidates and members of the California legislature, constitutional officers, and political committees thus far in 2011-2012. Further, the industry and its partners spent $1.1 million on lobbying during this period. This amount includes only the beginnings of the investment Big Tobacco made to defeat Proposition 29 which would have prevented the deaths of more than 100,000 Californians from smoking related illnesses had it passed.

Tobacco Money in California Politics contains full details on which bills were lobbied by tobacco interests, and lists legislators and political committees who accepted contributions from the industry. Highlights include:

• The amount spent this year is more than double the amount spent during the first year of the 2009-2010 election cycle.
• Of the 120 state legislators, tobacco interests made campaign contributions to 55 members, or 45% of the legislature, higher than in previous years.
• More than 70% of the total contributions made during the 2011-2012 election cycle were to political committees who oppose Proposition 29, which was narrowly defeated in the polls on June 5 th.

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California’s attempt to raise the cigarette tax by $1.00 failed by less than a percentage point. 50.3 percent opposed the tax and 49.7 supported it. Proposition 29 planned to use the money generated from the tax to fund cancer research and anti-smoking programs, as well as replenish funds for anti-smoking campaigns.  The hope was to raise around $700 million per year.

The initiative would raise the tax to $1.87 per pack, only the 16^th highest in the country. However, raising taxes in other states, such as New York, has effectively lowered the amount of cigarettes bought, especially by young people. Medical News Today reports “Each ten percent increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by about seven percent.” Officials speculated that the tax would lower youth smoking by 13.7 percent, along with convincing thousands of others to quit smoking, and a larger number never to start.

A previous cigarette tax, Proposition 86, which would have raised the tax by $2.60 per pack, was defeated in 2006. The tax has not been raised since 2000, holding the cigarette tax at $.87 for twelve years.

According to Balletpedia.org, supporters included Lance Armstrong and the Livestrong Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association and others. Opponents included the California Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity.

Phillip Morris led the Tobacco Companies on a massive campaign against the initiative, pumping millions of dollars into advertising that dropped support from two-thirds in March to less than half during the ballot reading on June 5.

According to the LA Times, Morris and his company conducted a classic “red herring” technique, diverting the attention away from the beneficial effects of the initiative and drew attention to where the money was going to go. They claim the goal of Proposition 29 is too narrow, and won’t solve many of the problems that California currently faces, such as a lack of funding for schools and roads. The Tobacco companies argued that cancer is only a small problem in comparison and that the money should be used in other ways to help the state.

Teresa Casazza of the California Taxpayers Association, said “Proposition 29’s good intentions are overshadowed by the fact that California simply cannot afford another billion-dollar government boondoggle to create another wasteful spending program.”

A majority of Californians support the tax for the obvious benefits, but enough were swayed by the opposing campaign to stop the law from passing.

Armstrong told the New York Times, “the defeat of this life saving initiative is a genuine tragedy. Big Tobacco lied to voters to protect its profits and spend $50 million to ensure it can continue peddling its deadly products to California kids.”

There is no doubt that the debate will continue with the next election and a new proposition in the hope of lowering the number of cigarette smokers.

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A new poll released January 24 finds that Hoosiers overwhelmingly support a law prohibiting smoking inside all workplaces. By a strong majority (70 percent to 27 percent), Indiana voters support a law that would prohibit smoking in indoor workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars.

This support comes from a broad-based coalition of voters across the state, including 73 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of Democrats, and 73 percent of Independents.

“Voters know that secondhand smoke is a health hazard, and this poll shows that they want a strong law protecting their right to breathe clean air,” said Danielle Patterson, Co-Chair of the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air. ”The Legislature should listen to the people of Indiana and Governor Daniels and act quickly to make all workplaces smoke-free.”

The survey of 500 registered voters was released by the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air, a coalition of health groups including the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The survey also found among Indiana voters:

• 85 percent believe that secondhand smoke is a health hazard, including 58 percent who say it is a serious health hazard.
• 71 percent believe the right of employees and customers to breathe clean air in restaurants and bars is more important than the right of smokers to smoke and business owners to allow smoking.
• 84 percent feel all workers should be protected from exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace.

Hoosiers recognize the benefits of a smoke-free environment, saying that restaurants and bars would be healthier and more enjoyable if they were smoke-free. Nearly nine out of ten voters (88 percent) believe that these places would be healthier, and 84 percent want to be able to enjoy Indiana’s restaurants and bars without smelling like smoke at the end of the evening.

“Secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone, and everyone should be protected from it,” said Kevin O’Flaherty, Co-Chair of the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air.  “It is a matter of fairness – everyone should have the right to breathe clean air at work. The Legislature should reject exemptions that would force some workers to continue putting their health at risk in order to earn a paycheck.”

The Indiana House is expected to take up the smoke-free legislation (HB 1149) this week. Governor Daniels has called on the Legislature to pass the strongest possible law with the fewest possible exemptions.

The need for protection from secondhand smoke in all workplaces and public places has never been clearer. Secondhand smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of which are toxic (such as formaldehyde, arsenic, and lead), and is a proven cause of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.  Twenty-nine states currently have strong smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars.

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The American Lung Association applauds the Obama Administration for adopting public health safeguards to reduce mercury and toxic air pollution from power plants.  The new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Power Plants are long overdue and will reduce the harm from air pollution like mercury, lead, arsenic, and a host of other pollutants.

“Since toxic air pollution from power plants can make people sick and cut lives short, the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are a huge victory for public health,” said Albert A. Rizzo, M.D., National Volunteer Chair of the American Lung Association, and pulmonary and critical care physician in Newark, Delaware.

“The Lung Association expects all oil and coal-fired power plants to act now to protect all Americans, especially our children, from the health risks imposed by these dangerous air pollutants.”

The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will reduce toxic emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants that are found in more than 40 U.S. states and are the largest producers of mercury pollution. Air pollution emitted by coal-fired power plants contains 84 of the 187 hazardous pollutants identified for control by the Clean Air Act.

Many of these pollutants, such as, dioxins, arsenic, and lead, can cause cancer and cardiovascular disease; harm the kidneys, lungs, and nervous system; and even kill. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will reduce these pollutants and prevent 130,000 childhood asthma attacks and 11,000 premature deaths each year.

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments required the tighter standards on power plants in an effort to reduce toxic emissions in communities across the country. However, big polluters have fought for and won delays for more than 21 years.

“Attempts to delay or dismantle the Clean Air Act, or rules like the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, reward industry polluters and punish those most vulnerable to dirty air,” said Dr. Rizzo. “These new standards mark a huge step forward in clean air protections and will be responsible for saving thousands of lives each year.”

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