Petrodus wrote
Study:
California isn't using tobacco money for smoking prevention programs
The public mood is shifting because voters recognize Proposition 29 doesn't
address the state's budget deficit while adding an "unaccountable commission"
free to spend as it sees fit.
In fact, the CDC study at
State Tobacco Revenues Compared with Tobacco Control Appropriations United States, 19982010
urges states to spend more money for CDC Best Practices for tobacco control, and delineates spending by different states.
The Sacramento Bee article cited by Petrodus was biased journalism by a biased journalist (who opposes Prop 29).
To claim CA voters don't support Prop 29 because the CA legislature failed to provide additional funding for smoking prevention programs is nonsensical.
Besides, Prop 29 will spend 25% of the new tobacco tax revenue on smoking prevention and other tobacco control programs.
But there are some valid reasons to oppose Prop 29 (e.g. lots of the money will be wasted on demonizing and trying to ban the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, and to falsely claim that drug industry products are the only effective ways to quit smoking).
A new poll out yesterday found that 62% of CA voters supported Prop 29, and just 33% opposed it. I suspect next Tuesday's vote will be closer than that, but we'll just have to wait to see what happens.
