HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05141991 - 1.5 (2) Ta BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Mark Finucane Cwtra
Health Services Director Costa
DATE'. May 2, 1991 county
SUBJECT: PRESERVING THE TOBACCO EDUCATION ACCOUNT UNDER PROPOSITION 99
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RI X14MEN ED ACTION:
1) Support the preservation of the Tobacco Education Account funded by
Proposition 99 as an important measure to reduce tobacco smoking, the
leading cause of preventable death, disability, and medical
expenditures in the United States.
2) Direct the County lobbyist to work for the preservation of the full
tobacco education funding as specified in Proposition 99 in AB99, the
reauthorization bill for tobacco revenues.
II. FINANCIAL IMPACT'
Contra Costa County has directly received or been involved in
collaborative projects with other counties providing tobacco education
funding of $2,879,000 aver a two-year authorization period. This funding
provides for the following projects:
Health Services Department
Tobacco Control Project $1,070,000.
Teenage Program $ 195,000.
Alcohol Programs $ 130,000.
Bay Area Cancer Coalition $ 582,000.
American lung Association - Contra Costa Chapter $ 402,000.
la Chiem Residential Treatment Center $ 75,000.
East Bay Perinatal Council $ 250,000.
Mental Health Association of Contra Costa $ 175,000.
Total $2,879,000.
In addition, in 1985 an estimated $87,500,000. was spent in Contra Costa
County for medical care of tobacco-related disease. The Health Education
Account is designed to reduce tobacco smoking among Californians by 75% by the
year 2000.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: -X- YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOAR COMMITTEE_
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S :
ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. '
cc: via Health Services ATTESTED MAY 14 391
PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382/7-83 BY � �it/! 4:��fiC/ DEPUTY
y
III. BAC193ROIND:
-In 1988, California voters passed Proposition 99, a 25 cents per pack
increase in the tax on tobacco products. The initiative stipulated that a
percentage of the tax revenues support education programs designed to achieve a
reduction of the prevalence of smoking among Californians. Despite strong
opposition to this education program by the tobacco lobby, AB75, the initial
legislation allocating Proposition 99 revenues, allocated the full percentage
for the tobacco education programs. Under this funding innovative tobacco
education, prevention, and cessation projects have been implemented throughout
Contra Costa County and the State of California. These programs promise to
make California the state closest to achieving a smoke-free society by the year
2000.
AB75 sunsets July 1, 1991. The Governor has proposed a significant cut in
the Health Education Account, including elimination of the competitive
grants for corm unity-based organizations.
Reduction of the Health Education Account at this time would be premature.
These public education programs have been in existence a maximum of
fifteen months, others have yet to begin. Although initial results from
operating programs are promising, they will need at least several more
years to demonstrate their full effectiveness. It will also take at least
several more years before the existing tobacco education projects, and the
new ones being initiated, to realize their maximum impact. Reduction of
the Tobacco Education Program now would waste much of the investment that
has been made statewide in getting these programs up and running. More
important, a premature reduction in this program would squander the
opportunity California now has to make major strides in public health by
significantly reducing tobacco use.
The Tobacco Education Program is consistent with the Contra Costa County
Board of Supervisors' leadership in tobacco use prevention through its
sponsorship of local anti-smoking legislation and its initiation of the
Bay Area Cancer Coalition. Funding for this program, as specified by the
voters in Proposition 99, should be preserved.
IV. OONSDQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Allan the tobacco industry to continue its multi-billion dollar tobacco
advertising canpaign unopposed, and lose the opportunity to build on
California's strong start in tobacco education to move toward the goal of a
smoke-free society by the year 2000.
cc: County Administrator
Health Services Director
Public Health Director