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Cancer Patients and Survivors Host Day of Action to Reduce Cancer Burden
JACKSON, MS — February 18, 2021 — The unpredictable and dynamic nature of COVID-19 is no match for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's (ACS CAN) volunteers' steadfast commitment. Because of the virus and the elevated risk for those with compromised immune systems, cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers from across are traveled ...
Legislators Urged to Protect Health of Mississippi Residents By Increasing Taxes on Tobacco
Patients, survivors, and concerned citizens gathered at the State Capitol today to urge lawmakers to stand up for the health of their constituents by increasing the price of tobacco products through a $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase and parallel increase in the tax on other tobacco products. The event was held ... deadly products,” said Kimberly Hughes, Mississippi government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death nationwide. This year alone, an estimated 5,400 Mississippians will die from ...
Lawmakers Could Generate Over $170 Million in New Annual Revenue and Save Thousands of Lives by Raising State’s Record Low Tobacco Taxes
JACKSON, MS – February 4, 2021 – As lawmakers continually look to address the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to significantly increase Mississippi’s dangerously low tobacco taxes (40th cigarette tax in the nation) has ... heightened awareness on the important role public health plays in Mississippians’ ability to live a full and healthy life, free from the ills of tobacco use. “With annual health expenditures in directly caused by smoking totaling $1.23 billion, increasing the cigarette tax by $1.50 per ... declines. In just 5 years, the state would save $1.81 million in Medicaid costs,” shared American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Mississippi Government Relations Director Kimberly Hughes. Research shows that enacting a large tobacco tax increase is one of the most ...
Mississippi One of Only Two States Not Meeting Any Benchmarks on Cancer-Fighting Public Policies
... it comes to implementing policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer. According to the latest edition of How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality, Mississippi is one of only two states that failed to measure up to policy recommendations in any of the nine issue areas. The report was released today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “This 16 th edition of the report shows that we must do more to reduce suffering and death from cancer. We have the power to make a ...
Big Tobacco’s Smokescreen Derails Attempt to Save Lives and Protect Kids
... is a statement from Kimberly Hughes, Mississippi government relations director at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), on the legislature’s failure to take up legislation on a tobacco tax increase that would have saved lives and money in Mississippi: ... lawmakers made a disappointing decision to not take up legislation that could have saved lives from tobacco use. If they increased the price of tobacco by $1.50, lawmakers could have reduced tobacco use and, therefore, tobacco-related diseases, like cancer, saved in health care costs and ... have saved lives, stopped 22,800 kids from smoking and generated more than $166 million in new, annual, state revenue. “Increasing the price of tobacco is one of the most effective ways to prevent kids from becoming addicted to these deadly products and to help encourage those already ...
Priorities for 2021 Legislative Session: Saving Lives and State Dollars Lost to Tobacco
JACKSON, MS – January 4, 2021 – As lawmakers dive into the new year, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) looks ahead to what public health initiatives our lawmakers can accomplish in the 2021 legislative session particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. At such a critical time, we must do everything in our power to keep our communities healthy and safe—which means ... by smoking and address the financial impacts caused by the pandemic. Tobacco Tax Increase: ACS CAN is advocating for a cigarette tax increase of $1.50 per pack paralleled with an increase on all other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. A significant tobacco tax increase is one of ...
Mississippi Health Advocates: Proposed Cigarette Tax Increase Inadequate to Save Lives; Urge Senate to Increase Tax by $1.50
... Bill 1439 to increase the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack. Currently, the bill calls for a low $.50 per pack cigarette tax increase and 10% of wholesale price increase on other tobacco products. The bill was passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives on Tuesday. A $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase would decrease youth smoking by approximately 14.5%, encourage more than ... in Mississippi. “Only by enacting an increase of $1.50 per pack of cigarettes paralleled with a tax increase on all other tobacco products can we see a real change in Mississippi that effectively meets the severity of today’s youth tobacco epidemic. We cannot allow the health of ...