U.S. State and Local Issues

Spending on Tobacco Prevention: California

Last updated December 04, 2012

  FY2013 FY2012
State Rank 22 22
State Spending on Tobacco Prevention $62.1 million $70 million
% of CDC Recommended Spending
($441.9 million)		 14.1% 15.8%

Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that California spend $441.9 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  California currently allocates $62.1 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation.  This is 14.1% of the CDC’s recommendation and ranks California 22nd among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  California’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 3.8% of the estimated $1.6 billion in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Background and Recent Developments: California has the oldest and one of the most successful tobacco prevention programs in the country. In 1988, California voters approved Proposition 99, a ballot initiative that increased the state cigarette tax by 25 cents a pack, and earmarked 20 percent of the revenue for a tobacco prevention program. California launched its Tobacco Control Program in the spring of 1990.

In June 2012, California attempted to increase its cigarette tax by an additional $1 per pack through a ballot initiative known as Proposition 29. Some of the revenue would have been used to increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs, but voters narrowly defeated the initiative. Tobacco companies spent $47 million to defeat it.

Funding for California’s program components changes based on the amount of revenue generated from the state’s tobacco tax.  In FY2013, state spending on the tobacco control program will be $62.1 million, less than the $70 million spent in FY2012 and the $75 million spent in FY2011. 

In addition, California is receiving $6.5 million in federal funds dedicated to tobacco prevention and control:

  • $1.9 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 12-month grant for the period beginning April 2012 (from annual appropriations).

  • $2.8 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the new health care reform law for the period beginning August 1, 2012. 

  • $1.9 million from the Food and Drug Administration for enforcement of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, including the provision regarding tobacco sales to minors.