WASHINGTON, D.C. April 17, 2014 Six leading public health groups sent a letter to U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus this week voicing strong support for his proposal to eliminate the sale of tobacco products on all bases and ships. The Navy would be the first branch of the military to eliminate tobacco sales, building on strong policies the Navy has already implemented to reduce tobacco use among its personnel.
The use of tobacco can compromise military readiness and performance. The smoking rates in 2011 were 24.4 percent for Navy personnel and 30.8 percent for Marines, well above the national rate of 18 percent.
We strongly encourage you to move forward with adoption and implementation of the proposal, which represents a significant next step toward a tobacco-free U.S. military, the letter stated.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Legacy Foundation and the Partnership for Prevention signed the letter.
Full text of the letter: http://bit.ly/1iyyEag
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard.
For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Lauren Walens or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 661-5763 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
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