Update: Prop 56 Passes for a Butt Free Bay

Through the Gates
By voting Yes on Prop 56, California voters said yes to a Butt Free Bay and to the inevitable impact it will make on reducing the amount of tobacco litter making its way into our local ecosystems. Photo by Dave Gordon.
In a resounding victory for Save The Bay’s Butt Free Bay Campaign, 63 percent of Californians said Yes on Prop 56. Prop 56 will increase the tax on tobacco products by $2 per pack effective April 1, 2017. In addition to saving Californians billions per year in healthcare costs, Prop 56 will make a noticeable difference in decreasing the estimated 3 billion cigarette butts littered in the Bay Area each year. Economists project that Prop 56’s tax increase will decrease smoking rates, all while providing additional funding for anti-smoking programs in the state. This means less toxic cigarette butts draining from our streets and sidewalks into creeks that lead to the Bay, where they wreak havoc on local ecosystems. We would like to thank the coalition of anti-tobacco organizations for their partnership in fighting tobacco special interests, and California voters for their overwhelming support of Yes on 56. Stay tuned for more information on how you can answer the call to action and take additional steps in our fight for a Butt Free Bay.