Blowing smoke

Opponents of CA Prop 29, which would add $1 per pack of cigarettes to fund cancer research, have raised $46.8 million to fight the ballot measure –- nearly four times the amount raised by supporters.

So who’s blowing all that smoke?

Here, in campaign finance data from the Secretary of State analyzed by MapLight, are the top donors to the No on 29 cause:

Rank Contributor name Total
1 PHILIP MORRIS (ALTRIA) $27,531,416
2 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $11,168,698
3 U.S. SMOKELESS TOBACCO (ALTRIA) $3,039,818
4 AMERICAN SNUFF COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $1,750,000
5 SANTA FE NATURAL TOBACCO COMPANY (REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.) $1,148,000
6 CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY $1,140,909
7 JOHN MIDDLETON CO. (ALTRIA) $737,201
8 CORE-MARK $75,032
9 MCLANE COMPANY, INC. $50,000

Proponents of the measure have raised $12.3 million. That top ten:

3 million raised in total

Rank Contributor name Total
1 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY $8,467,937
2 LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION $1,500,000
3 AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION $563,594
4 MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG $500,000
5 AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION $421,986
6 VOTERS ORGANIZED FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT – VOICE $152,188
7 ACS CANCER ACTION NETWORK $80,000
8 TOBACCO-FREE KIDS ACTION FUND $65,000
9 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION $50,000
10 IRWIN MARK JACOBS $30,000

Prop 29 would institute a $1.00 per pack increase in the price of cigarettes to fund research into cancer and tobacco-related diseases as well as prevention and education programs. The money would be administered by a nine-member committee. More info.

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