Budget Undercuts Anti-Smoking Program

from "Public Policy Update", Breathe Easy news magazine, Fall 2002/Winter 2003

Governor Gray Davis’ 2002-03 state budget deals a severe blow to California’s anti-smoking campaign by cutting the landmark tobacco prevention program (under Proposition 99) in half. It also sells off future tobacco industry payments, which should be used for tobacco prevention and healthcare programs, in order to gain $4.5 billion for the 2002-03 state-spending plan.

The budget failed to include two proposed tobacco tax increases — 63 cents per pack (Assembly Bill 1666, Horton, D-Inglewood) and $2.13 per pack (Assembly Bill 1849, Wesson, D- Culver City). Increasing the state tobacco tax would have helped to reduce smoking in California, to prevent cuts to critical tobacco prevention and healthcare programs, and to close the state budget gap. California fell behind 19 other states that raised their tobacco tax rates this year.