Tobacco Tax Initiative

Supporters of Proposition 56 say the purpose is to protect children, save lives, and get smokers to do their part by giving back to healthcare.

Donnie Littleton, a current smoker, struggles with the pressure of life. She never took much interest in politics or voting until she saw a sign in a local smoke shop informing her that there would be an increase in tobacco taxes. “Whenever I’m having a hard day in school or even with my daughter, smoking takes the edge off and puts me in a more at ease mood,” Littleton says.

She plans on voting no on Proposition 56. As a single mother, her finances are already tight. An extra two dollars for a pack of cigarettes would be spending beyond her means, she says. If Proposition 56 passes, Littleton says she might look into other means of relieving stress.

Justina Felix, advocacy manager of the American Lung Association, says California last raised the tax on cigarettes in 1998.  “Every year Medi-Cal spends 3.5 million dollars to treat smoking-related illnesses,” Felix says. “As taxpayers, whether you smoke or don’t smoke, we’re all paying toward that.”

The tax was originally only .87 cents a pack. About 34 other states have higher taxes on cigarettes. The tax will not just be on cigarettes but on other tobacco related products. Felix also says that money raised by the tax increase would help pay for breast cancer screenings and tobacco prevention.

Fresno State Mass Communication and Journalism studentJake Martinez has been following the campaign and has decided to vote yes. “Personally, I’m not affected because I’m not a smoker,” Martinez says. “But this has been implemented in the past in other states. There will be less underage smokers.”