Sadly, Amendment 72 did not pass in Colorado last night.

Philip Morris steamrolled this election with a $17 million advertising blitz that deceived voters about Amendment 72. Having been outspent 14 to 1 on advertising, we couldn’t overcome Philip Morris’ smear campaign.

This is a major setback for Colorado in the fight against the number one cause of preventable death in our state. Amendment 72 would have reduced smoking, especially among children, and would have invested money in programs to support veterans and those most harmed by smoking.

We are proud of our positive campaign that was supported by over 100 organizations and endorsed by Governor Hickenlooper and the state’s most influential newspapers. We will bring a tobacco tax back to Colorado voters and win on behalf of our children and our commitment to saving lives and reducing health care costs for everyone.