RJR spending big money to overturn SF flavor/menthol ordinance

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids has been keeping an eye on the campaign expenditures for the “local concerned citizens” that are working to force a referendum on the menthol/flavor ban.  Here are the numbers as of July 15, 2017 (campaign filing on July 20):
 

• RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company has spent $723,769 in support of the Let’s Be Real referendum to undo the SF flavor ordinance.  That includes $600,000 in loans and $123,769 in in-kind support (polling, data support, consulting/expenses, and employee time).

• The campaign has paid $150,000 to Goco Consulting in Sacramento (petition circulating) and $2,000 to Rojas Communication Group in Tarzana for campaign consulting.

• The campaign has an outstanding bill of $10,927.12 owed to the Monaco Group in Santa Ana for campaign literature and mailings.

• Cash on hand is $448,000.

 
This investment shows that there is going to be a major effort to roll back the law.  This is the best evidence that advocates should keep pushing replications of the law everywhere.