[C-U Smokefree] Public Health Victory Over Big Tobacco!

[Kathy Drea]

Dear Illinois Smoke Free Advocate,

I hope you will enjoy this update our national office released this
morning regarding several ballot successes around the country.  Soon,
there will be two more smoke-free states (in addition to the 14 current
smoke-free states) and Nevada passed a strong smoke free ballot
initiative too!  See below for more details...

Kathy

 

Kathy Drea, Director, Public Policy

American Lung Association of Illinois

3000 Kelly Lane

Springfield, IL 62711

1-800-788-5864

Fax 217-787-5916

www.SmokeFreeIllinois.org

kdrea at lungil.org

 

 <http://www.lungusa.org> 

 

Dear Kathy,

The American Lung Association would like to thank you and the thousands
of concerned citizens across the five states that took a stand against
Big Tobacco this Election Day by voting to increase tobacco excise
taxes, fund tobacco control programs and pass smokefree workplace laws.
Despite spending close to $90 million, the tobacco companies - including
Reynolds American and Philip Morris - were defeated in five of the seven
states where tobacco control measures appeared on the ballot.  Thank you
for spreading the word to your friends and family in these states.
Together, we sent Big Tobacco packing.  

Here's a quick recap of what voters in these seven states decided:  

Smokefree Workplace Laws Passed in Arizona, Ohio and Nevada 
Voters in Arizona and Ohio joined the 14 other smokefree states that
have passed comprehensive smokefree workplace laws.  This action
protects the right of everyone in Arizona and Ohio to breathe clean air.
Not only did Ohioans pass a strong, comprehensive smokefree law by a
58.3 percent to 41.7 margin, but they also beat back Big Tobacco's
constitutional amendment by almost 30 points that would have repealed
comprehensive smokefree laws in many cities and substituted them with
much weaker provisions.  Voters in Arizona were also wise to Big
Tobacco's dirty tricks - they chose the real smokefree workplace law
(54.2 to 45.8 percent) over the fake initiative financed by the tobacco
companies (42.7 to 57.3 percent).   

Nevada also passed its Clean Indoor Air Act by almost 8 percent. It will
protect Nevada workers and families from secondhand smoke by prohibiting
smoking in restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, other retail
establishments and bars that serve food. It also gives local governments
the authority to pass tougher smokefree laws.   Voters also defeated a
weak clean air initiative 52 percent to 48 percent.

Tobacco Prevention Funding Restored in Florida 
Sixty-one percent of voters in Florida sent the message to elected
officials that tobacco control programs are vital to their state's
public health.  Florida - which once had one of the top tobacco control
programs in the nation - will again fund tobacco prevention and
cessation programs at a significant level now that voters decided that
the state should use its tobacco settlement money for its original
intent.  

Tobacco Tax Increase Approved in South Dakota:  
South Dakota voted to increase its tobacco excise taxes and use many of
the proceeds to fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Higher
cigarette taxes and increased funding for tobacco prevention and
cessation programs are scientifically proven ways to reduce smoking,
save lives and save money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs.


Unfortunately, voters in California and Missouri did not approve
increases in tobacco excise taxes.  Despite the tobacco companies
pouring millions of dollars into negative campaign ads to defeat this
initiative, the California initiative failed to pass by less than 5
percent, while the Missouri initiative lost by just 3.4 percent.  We
will continue to work in both California and Missouri to pass strong and
effective tobacco control measures, which include tobacco tax increases
and strong tobacco prevention and cessation programs.   

Thank You!
Thank you for helping us defeat Big Tobacco at the polls this Election
Day.  Voters saw through the industry's dirty tricks - despite the close
to $90 million Big Tobacco spent on misleading campaigns to defeat good
public health initiatives.  

Of course, Big Tobacco's behavior is no surprise. This summer a federal
judge found the major tobacco companies guilty of federal racketeering
charges.  Judge Kessler correctly concluded that tobacco companies have
engaged in a long-term, fraudulent scheme to mislead the American people
about the health risks of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, the
addictiveness of their products, and in their tactics for marketing
their products to children.  

Thank you for spreading the word and letting Big Tobacco know that we're
not going to take it any more.  We look forward to working with you in
the weeks and years to come to push for common sense tobacco control
policies that promote public health.  

Thanks again!   

 

________________________________

 

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