More on pro prop 86:
• NARRATOR: Remember when tobacco executives testified to Congress that cigarettes and nicotine were not addictive? They lied. Now they are at it again. Big tobacco will say anything, do anything, and spend anything to defeat Prop. 86 because it reduces smoking by increasing cigarette taxes. Prop. 86 is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Heart Association and Lung Association. It will reduce teen smoking, prevent premature deaths and save billions in health-care costs. Take a stand against big tobacco. Vote yes on Prop. 86.
ANALYSIS: Judging by the ads, both sides in this campaign are competing to tar each other without providing a complete picture of their own agendas.
This ad paints the tobacco companies as liars but doesn't explain what they are supposed to be lying about. And it leaves viewers with the mistaken impression that the measure would benefit only anti-smoking groups.
As the ad says, Proposition 86 is backed by health groups. About 8 percent of the $2.27 billion the measure raised each year would go to tobacco-control efforts, and an additional 13 percent would go to cancer, heart and asthma programs.
But a huge share -- more than a third -- of the funds would also go to hospitals to shore up their emergency departments, a fact never mentioned in the ad. The tax would also support universal health insurance for children and a variety of other health causes such as nursing education and community clinics.
While the health groups named in the ads are backing the measure with financial support, hospitals are by far the biggest funder of the Yes on 86 campaign.
About the writer:
The Bee's Clea Benson can be reached at (916) 326-5533 or [email protected].
I wrote a letter, but I doubt anything will come of it. They don't care about cigars!
• NARRATOR: Remember when tobacco executives testified to Congress that cigarettes and nicotine were not addictive? They lied. Now they are at it again. Big tobacco will say anything, do anything, and spend anything to defeat Prop. 86 because it reduces smoking by increasing cigarette taxes. Prop. 86 is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Heart Association and Lung Association. It will reduce teen smoking, prevent premature deaths and save billions in health-care costs. Take a stand against big tobacco. Vote yes on Prop. 86.
ANALYSIS: Judging by the ads, both sides in this campaign are competing to tar each other without providing a complete picture of their own agendas.
This ad paints the tobacco companies as liars but doesn't explain what they are supposed to be lying about. And it leaves viewers with the mistaken impression that the measure would benefit only anti-smoking groups.
As the ad says, Proposition 86 is backed by health groups. About 8 percent of the $2.27 billion the measure raised each year would go to tobacco-control efforts, and an additional 13 percent would go to cancer, heart and asthma programs.
But a huge share -- more than a third -- of the funds would also go to hospitals to shore up their emergency departments, a fact never mentioned in the ad. The tax would also support universal health insurance for children and a variety of other health causes such as nursing education and community clinics.
While the health groups named in the ads are backing the measure with financial support, hospitals are by far the biggest funder of the Yes on 86 campaign.
About the writer:
The Bee's Clea Benson can be reached at (916) 326-5533 or [email protected].
I wrote a letter, but I doubt anything will come of it. They don't care about cigars!
