Urban League President Joins Broad, Diverse Coalitionto Support California Children and Families...

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 1998--John W. Mack, president of the Los Angeles Urban League, Friday announced that he is joining a broad coalition of more than 200 health, education, child development, community-based and law enforcement organizations in endorsing Proposition 10, the California

The initiative would add a 50-cent tax to packs of cigarettes sold in California, with the proceeds funding early health and development programs for young children, and anti-smoking education and smoke cessation programs for pregnant mothers and families with young children.

Mack said that passage of Proposition 10 is vital for the African-American community.

"For too long, the tobacco industry has targeted the African-American community with its manipulative marketing tactics," said Mack. "Proposition 10 has dual benefits for African-Americans: studies by the Centers for Disease Control have shown that young people and minorities are more likely to quit or cut down on smoking in response to a price increase.

"And, the $700 million a year that Proposition 10 is expected to generate will do immense good in the African-American community, helping our youth to be healthy, achieving students in school, and our adults to live longer, healthier lives," Mack added.

The Centers for Disease Control found that minority Americans, who are disproportionately poor, are more likely than white Americans to quit or reduce their smoking in response to a price increase. It found that smoking by African-Americans aged 18 to 24 would decline 10 percent if cigarette prices increased by the same amount.

The California Children and Families Initiative is endorsed by the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, California Medical Association, California Nurses Association, California School Boards Association, California State PTA, California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Consortium to Prevent Child Abuse and former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.

The Los Angeles Urban League, the largest affiliate of the National Urban League, was founded in 1921. An advocate for equal opportunity for African-Americans and other minorities, it is a nonprofit community-based organization that offers education and literacy programs, job training, and employment and business development services.

In 1997, United Way presented its Agency of the Year Award to the Los Angeles Urban League. Mack has served as president of the Los Angeles Urban League since 1969.