Kathy Flaherty: California has more work to do in fighting cancer
Cancer will claim an estimated 59,060 lives in California this year. Yet, research shows we could prevent roughly half those deaths if everyone stopped using tobacco products, starting eat well, exercised regularly and got recommended cancer screenings. It’s not just about personal choices. Lawmakers play a critical part in fighting cancer by passing legislation that helps reduce cancer’s toll.
A report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network that evaluates each state’s legislative activity on issues such as access to care, prevention and tobacco-use prevention and cessation, California is falling behind in fighting cancer. Tobacco excise taxes are proven to save lives by reducing the use of tobacco and preventing youth from using it. These taxes raise much-needed revenues.
Prop 56 will be on the November ballot and will help protect kids, fight cancer and help fund treatment and cancer research. This will eventually help cut healthcare costs by decreasing the amount of tobacco-related diseases.
According to the new How Do You Measure Up? released by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, California could make huge strides in fighting cancer if it raised its tobacco tax, which has not been raised in nearly 20 years.
Cancer prevention can’t be pushed under the rug. Cancer will claim the lives of nearly 60,000 Californians by the end of 2016; if we vote on Nov. 8, we can change cancer outcomes in the future!
Kathy Flaherty, volunteer State Lead Ambassador, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Atwater
This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Kathy Flaherty: California has more work to do in fighting cancer."