During this June’s primary election, voters will decide the fate of Proposition 29, which would impose an additional tax on cigarettes in order to fund cancer research. In an update, world famous cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong has announced that his LIVESTRONG Foundation will contribute $1.5 million to support the June ballot measure.

Armstrong stated, “[This measure] will save lives, stop kids from smoking [and support the search for cancer cures]. We feel that it's worth every penny.”

The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association are also supporting Prop 29. The Bee points out that there will be a heated and expensive campaign around this measure: “The Proposition 29 campaign is expected to be a multimillion dollar fight. A campaign committee created to oppose the measure reported $2.67 million in contributions in 2011, all from tobacco company Philip Morris USA and its parent company Altria. A committee to support the measure reported raising $1.39 million in the same period.”

The official ballot summary is as follows:

“Imposes additional five cent tax on each cigarette distributed ($1.00 per pack), and an equivalent tax increase on other tobacco products, to fund cancer research and other specified purposes. Requires tax revenues be deposited into a special fund to finance research and research facilities focused on detecting, preventing, treating, and curing cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and other tobacco-related diseases, and to finance prevention programs. Creates nine-member committee charged with administering the fund. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increase in new cigarette tax revenues of about $855 million annually by 2011- 12, declining slightly annually thereafter, for various health research and tobacco-related programs. Increase of about $45 million annually to existing health, natural resources, and research programs funded by existing tobacco taxes. Increase in state and local sales taxes of about $32 million annually.”