2012 California Proposition 29

Proposition 29, the California Cancer Research Act, is a California ballot measure that was defeated by California voters at the statewide election on June 5, 2012.

The measure would have placed a $1 excise on tobacco products into a protected fund to finance medical research on smoking-related illnesses, strengthen California’s smoking prevention and cessation programs, and enforce the state’s existing tobacco laws.

The independent California Legislative Analyst's Office projected that the measure would have generated approximately $855 million in first year, declining slightly but predictably (about 3% annually due to decrease in the number of smokers) every year thereafter.[1]

The measure would have created a nine-member committee charged with administering direct revenues. This oversight committee was to be composed of cancer-research medical professionals, University of California Chancellors, and representatives of national disease advocacy groups. The measure restricted administration costs to no more than 2% of its direct tax revenues.[2]

The California Cancer Research Act was widely supported by cancer advocates, including cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and the American Cancer Society.[3]

The measure failed by a small margin of .4 percentage points. Later, in 2016, the cigarette tax was increased by the successful passage of California Proposition 56.

  1. ^ California Legislative Analyst’s Office, January 15, 2010
  2. ^ "Full text of the California Cancer Research Act" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  3. ^ "Steering Committee of the Campaign to Pass the California Cancer Research Act". Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.

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