Press Room

State lawmakers across the country are missing important opportunities to pass and implement proven legislative solutions to prevent and fight cancer, according to a report released today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality grades states on the strength of evidence-based policies that help to prevent cancer, which kills roughly 1,670 people a day nationwide, forces patients to pay nearly $4 billion in out-of-pocket expenses every year and in 2015 cost the country more than $80 billion in direct medical expenditures. 

A new report that grades states based on how well they’re enacting cancer-fighting policies was released by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) today, August 9, 2018, just as the California State Assembly is poised/voted on a landmark bill that leverages good nutrition as a new way to prevent major health issues.

In the last few weeks nine states have worked to pass bills that restrict local lawmakers’ ability to pass future innovative and proactive public health policies. These bills are known as “preemption bills” because they block, or preempt, authority of lower levels of government to pass laws stronger than state law. Preemption bills are popular among groups like the tobacco industry to prevent future legislation that could impact the sale of its products. The following is a Statement from Christopher W. Hansen, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Calorie counts on chain restaurant menus and menu boards will become mandatory today as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to complete implementation of the nutrition labeling provisions included in the health care law.

Washington, D.C. – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today the delayed implementation dates of rules that will require food and beverage manufacturers to update nutrition fact labels.

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an interim final rule that would weaken nutrition standards for school meals and beverages.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network hosted its annual policy forum today at St. Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville featuring national and local experts who discussed policy initiatives that can help reduce cancer risk and improve cancer outcomes for Tennesseans by encouraging healthy eating and active living.

A majority of states are missing critical opportunities to pass and implement legislative solutions proven to prevent and fight cancer, according to the 15th annual How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality.

Sacramento, CA – The voices of cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones are making a difference at the Capitol as evidenced by the critically-important cancer-fighting policies that passed the Legislature in 2016.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it is postponing the implementation of the final regulation to update the Nutrition Facts label. The regulation applies to nutrition information that appears on most packaged foods, beverages and supplements.