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Community News

Californians of Color for Caifornia Cancer Research Act
October 28, 2011

 COC Header
COC Header

COC Group  
Tobacco Control Experts Representing
California's Neediest Communities Support 
Slated for the June 2012 Ballot

Karen Bass
 U.S. Congresswoman
Karen Bass (D-CA 33rd)

  • African American men and women have significantly higher cancer death rates than all other ethnic/racial groups.   
  • American Indian youth begin smoking at an earlier age than all other ethnic/racial groups.  
     
  • Latino/Hispanic workers do not benefit equally from second hand smoke workplace protections.

For further information on
Californians of Color for the

California Cancer Research Act

 
Contact: Carol McGruder
African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council
cmcgruder@usa.net
888-881-6619
 

 

 


Tobacco controls experts from across the state gathered with U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass in Los Angeles this Saturday to announce their support for the California Cancer Control Act (CCRA).  The CCRA qualified for the June 2012

ballot after its supporting coalitions submitted over 600,000 voter signatures. If passed by voters, the CCRA will add $1.00 to each pack of cigarettes sold in California and generate over $855 million in its first year. It would provide more than $500 million a year to find new ways to detect, treat, prevent, and cure cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses. It would also provide over $156 million dollars for California's underfunded tobacco control and prevention program.   

 

Congresswoman Karen Bass addressed the bleak federal funding horizon for cancer research and stated how important it is that California advance the cancer research agenda through this important ballot measure.  Bass further stated that cancer touches the lives of all Californians and that the CCRA is a giant step in the right direction.   

 
Tobacco control experts representing California's communities of color stressed the desperate need that their communities have for increased tobacco control and prevention programs. 

 

Though significant public health gains have been made through California's Tobacco Control Program, not all communities have benefited equally. Tobacco-related disparities continue to disproportionately drain the health, resources and vitality of California's ethnic and LGBT communities. "This tobacco tax is actually an investment in the health of our communities and if passed it will save California taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in healthcare costs," stated Dr. Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati.   

 
 Historically, the tobacco industry has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into California to defeat any public health attempt to increase cigarette excise taxes. A tobacco industry strategy has been to discount the public health benefits to low income and minority communities by framing increased cigarette taxes as unfair and regressive.
    

This rhetoric is repeated by tobacco industry front groups.  Californians of Color for the CCRA is here to emphatically debunk this distortion. "Poor and low-income smokers can be very  price sensitive and that is a good thing," states Dr. Phillip Gardiner. "Studies have conclusively shown that increasing cigarette prices motivates many low-income smokers to quit; and through increased revenue, those who don't quit will have access to more programs and services to assist them in quitting. Culturally relevant tobacco prevention programs also empower communities to protect their young from the tobacco industry.

 

A town hall meeting convened by the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), "A Community Under Siege: The State of Black California and Tobacco Use,"  followed the CCRA Press Conference.


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