2020 ACS CAN DC Legislative Priorities

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of the District of Columbia touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2020, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the DC Council in support of the following priorities:

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Flavored Tobacco Products Restriction: ACS CAN will advocate to restrict the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including but not limited to menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. 

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to increase funding for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. This program provides low-income, underserved women access to lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screening, early detection, diagnostic and follow up services, as well as pathways to treatment services, if diagnosed with cancer.

Quality of Life                            

• Palliative Care: ACS CAN will work to improve cancer patients’ quality of life by creating a Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council to identify barriers to the availability of coordinated, supportive care during treatment from the beginning of diagnosis for serious diseases such as cancer.

• Protecting Access to Pain Medication for Cancer Patients: ACS CAN will monitor legislative proposals regarding the prescribing of opioid pain medications and advocate for a balanced approach that promotes safe prescribing and dispensing of pain management medication that does not interfere with access to these medicines for the cancer patients and survivors who need them.

Healthy Eating and Active Living Environments (HEALE)

ACS CAN will work with policymakers to plan, implement, and evaluate HEALE priority issues:

• Evaluate and support sugar-sweetened beverage taxes that meet ACS CAN’s policy criteria.
• Support increased access to healthy foods.

[email protected] or 301-254-0072