Big tobacco fights Prop. 29

The tobacco industry has spent more than $42 million lobbying against Proposition 29, which would raise the cigarette tax by a dollar, totaling $1.87 per pack.

“In the past three weeks alone, the tobacco industry has contributed about $17 million to the anti-tax effort,” Capitol Weekly reported on May 24. The proposition includes hikes to other tobacco taxes as well, amounting to $735 million annually that would be used to fund cancer research and tobacco-cessation programs.

Supporters of the California proposition, including the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association, have spent $8.92 million on their campaign. Individual donations include $1.5 million from the foundation of cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and $500,000 from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.