California Proposition 99 (1988)
Encyclopedia
Proposition 99 is an initiative
statute
which appeared on the November 8th, 1988 California
general election ballot, as the Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act. It was passed by a majority vote of the electorate. Its primary effect is to impose a 25-cent per pack state excise tax
on the sale of tobacco
cigarettes within California, with approximately equivalent excise taxes similarly imposed on the retail sale of other commercial tobacco products, such as cigars and chewing tobacco
. Additional restrictions placed on the sale of tobacco include a ban on cigarette vending machines in public areas accessible by juveniles
, and a ban on the individual sale of single cigarettes. Revenue generated by the act was earmarked for various environmental and health care programs, and anti-tobacco advertisements.
A detailed history of Proposition 99 and its success in reducing smoking is in the book Tobacco War. In its first 15 years (through 2004), the program reduced heart disease deaths and lung cancer incidence and reduced California health care costs by an estimated $86 billion.
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
which appeared on the November 8th, 1988 California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
general election ballot, as the Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act. It was passed by a majority vote of the electorate. Its primary effect is to impose a 25-cent per pack state excise tax
Excise
Excise tax in the United States is a indirect tax on listed items. Excise taxes can be and are made by federal, state and local governments and are far from uniform throughout the United States...
on the sale of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
cigarettes within California, with approximately equivalent excise taxes similarly imposed on the retail sale of other commercial tobacco products, such as cigars and chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
. Additional restrictions placed on the sale of tobacco include a ban on cigarette vending machines in public areas accessible by juveniles
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
, and a ban on the individual sale of single cigarettes. Revenue generated by the act was earmarked for various environmental and health care programs, and anti-tobacco advertisements.
A detailed history of Proposition 99 and its success in reducing smoking is in the book Tobacco War. In its first 15 years (through 2004), the program reduced heart disease deaths and lung cancer incidence and reduced California health care costs by an estimated $86 billion.