Join SFMS at California Cancer Research Initiative Campaign Launch January 30, 2012 Advocacy, CMA, Local Events, News, Public Health, SFMS Member, SFMS Member Events California Cancer Research Initiative, CCRA, cigarette tax, Peter Curran, Proposition 29 0 The California Cancer Research Act (CCRA), or Proposition 29, is a ballot initiative that will be on the June 5 primary ballot. Through a $1 per-pack tax on cigarettes, the CCRA delivers over $855 million per year to pursue potential cures of cancers and other tobacco-attributed diseases including Heart Disease, drive down smoking rates by investing in proven smoking cessation and tobacco control efforts, and assist tobacco law enforcement. Prop. 29 will increase tobacco taxes for research and prevention; the SFMS carried a resolution to the CMA annual meeting last year urging support of CRCA and the CMA endorsed the initiative last week (scroll down to view the SFMS resolution). Wednesday, February 13:00 pm to 3:30 pmSan Francisco City Hall, Polk Street Entrance Steps SFMS President Peter Curran, MD will be among the speakers at the campaign launch for the California Cancer Research Act this Wednesday at 3:00 pm on the steps of City Hall. Please join the rally and support our speakers. Speakers:Mark Di Giorgio, American Lung AssociationDavid Veneziano, CEO, American Cancer Society, California DivisionEric Mar, Member, San Francisco Board of SupervisorsPeter Curran, MD, President, San Francisco Medical SocietyKaren Licavoli, VP for Program Development, BREATHE CALIFORNIASandra Peters Kaiser, American Heart Association SFMS Resolution: SUPPORTING THE CALIFORNIA CANCER RESEARCH ACT Author: Robert Margolin, MDEndorsement: San Francisco District VIII Whereas, the California Cancer Research Act (CCRA) qualified for California's next statewide ballot after its supporting coalition submitted over 600,000 verified voter signatures; and Whereas, Cigarette smoking and other uses of tobacco remain the leading causes of cancer in California, and a leading cause of many other life-threatening health problems, including heart disease and emphysema. Whereas, California’s cigarette tax is currently 87 cents per pack (with an equivalent tax on other types of tobacco products) and is levied on cigarette distributors who supply cigarettes to retail stores; and the CCRA would increase the existing excise tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack effective 90 days after its passage; and Whereas, the state-mandated independent analysis of the CCRA indicates that it would have the following major impacts: Increase in new cigarette tax revenues of about $855 million annually by 2011-12, declining slightly annually thereafter, for various health research and tobacco-related programs; Increase of about $45 million annually to existing health, natural resources, and research programs funded by existing tobacco taxes; and Increase in state and local sales taxes of about $32 million annually; and Whereas, the funds would be allocated thus: 60% provide grants and loans to support research on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and potential cures for tobacco-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease; 15% to provide grants and loans to build and lease facilities and provide capital equipment for research on tobacco-related diseases; 20% would be used for to- bacco prevention and cessation programs administered by the California Department of Public Health (DPH) and the California Department of Education; 3% would be allocated to state agencies to support law enforcement efforts to reduce smuggling, tobacco tax evasion, illegal sales of tobacco to minors, and to otherwise improve enforcement of existing law; and 2% deposited into an ac- count that would be used to pay the costs of tax collection and expenses of administering the measure; and Whereas, the coalition supporting CCRA is led by the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Stand Up To Cancer, and Livestrong; with CMA conspicuously absent thus far; now be it RESOLVED: That CMA will support the California Cancer Research Act (CCRA) and advocate its passage by California voters: and be it further RESOLVED: that CMA will join the coalition of other organizations such as the American Cancer, Lung, Heart, and anti-tobacco groups in educating and advocating for the CCRA’s goals and passage. For more information, visit http://californiansforacure.org/. Comments are closed.
