Lansing, MI – As lawmakers dive into the new year, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is pursuing legislation that will ease the burden of cancer in Michigan. The latest edition of the ACS CAN’s How Do You Measure Up? report shows that Michigan can do better when it comes to implementing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer, especially when it comes to access to care and tobacco control.
ACS CAN is advocating for:
Oral Chemotherapy Fairness: ACS CAN will continue to work with the legislature to pass oral Chemotherapy fairness legislation. This legislation would give chronically ill patients easier access to the cancer treatment they need. It would ensure the out-of-pocket cost to the patient for oral chemotherapy and intravenous chemotherapy are similar. Currently, the out-of-pocket costs for some oral Chemotherapy medications are higher than intravenous medications and provide an unnecessary barrier for some Michiganders.
Tobacco 21 Legislation: ACS CAN supports raising the state's minimum age of sale for all tobacco products to 21 to align with the federal age of sale coupled with strong retailer compliance and active enforcement as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce youth initiation. Nearly 95% of adults who smoke started smoking before the age of 21.
ACS CAN volunteers look forward to meeting with lawmakers during ACS CAN’s annual Cancer Action Day on Wednesday, May 6. ACS CAN encourages individuals, businesses and organizations that are interested in these issues to reach out to ACS CAN to get involved in the fight against cancer at: fightcancer.org/MI.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.