State and County Early Childhood Development Programs. Additional Tobacco Surtax. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
	Rebuttal to Argument against Proposition 10

THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS FUNDING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PROPOSITION 10.

Official reports list the opposition as "sponsored by tobacco companies," including Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Lorillard Tobacco and Brown & Williamson. Smoking decreased 32% in California after voters approved a 25 cent tobacco tax in 1988. That is why Big Tobacco opposes Proposition 10.

Their arguments are false and misleading. Here are the facts:

PROPOSITION 10 MORE THAN DOUBLES THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR ANTI-TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND ALSO HELPS FIGHT TEEN SMOKING. The National Cancer Policy Board says increasing the price of cigarettes is "the single most effective way" to reduce teen smoking. The American Lung Association and The American Heart Association endorse Proposition 10.

PROPOSITION 10 ALLOCATES MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH. The American Cancer Society endorses it.

PROPOSITION 10 DOES NOT TAKE ONE PENNY FROM OUR SCHOOLS. The organization representing every local school board and the California Teacher's Association endorse Proposition 10.

PROPOSITION 10 IS A BIG BENEFIT FOR TAXPAYERS. A Families and Work Institute study showed that every dollar spent on early childhood programs can save taxpayers up to seven dollars in remedial education, welfare and juvenile crime.

THE TOBACCO COMPANIES DON'T CARE ABOUT MINORITIES, THE POOR OR ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES. They advertise heavily to minority and low income youth. The result--45,000 African-Americans die annually from smoking related diseases and smoking among Latino teens is skyrocketing.

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE? The tobacco industry or anti-smoking, healthcare, child care and education leaders. Please vote YES.

C. EVERETT KOOP, M.D.
Former Surgeon General of the United States DELAINE EASTIN
Superintendent of Public Instruction ALAN HENDERSON, Dr PH
President, American Cancer Society, California Division