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Michelle Zimmerman
Senior Specialist, Division Media Advocacy
West Virginia Falling Short on Cancer-Fighting Public Policies
West Virginia has One of the Highest Rates of Tobacco Related Cancer Incidents and Mortalities in the Country.
August 9, 2018
Charleston, WV – August 9, 2019 – West Virginia is falling short when 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.
“This report shows that we must do more to reduce suffering and death from cancer. But we have the power to make a difference for West Virginians immediately by implementing proven cancer-fighting policies,” said Juliana Frederick Curry, West Virginia government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). This year alone in West Virginia, 12,110 people will be diagnosed with cancer and 32.6 percent of cancer deaths in West Virginia are attributed to smoking. We owe it to them and everyone at risk of developing the disease, to do what we know works to prevent cancer and improve access to screenings and treatment.”
How Do You Measure Up? rates states in nine specific areas of public policy that can help fight cancer, including increased access to care through Medicaid, funding for cancer screening programs, smoke-free laws, cigarette tax levels, funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs, cessation coverage under Medicaid and restricting indoor tanning devices for minors. The report also looks at whether a state provides a balanced approach to pain medication and if it has passed policies proven to increase patient quality of life.
A color-coded system classifies how well a state is doing in each issue. Green shows that a state has adopted evidence-based policies and best practices; yellow indicates moderate movement toward the benchmark and red shows where states are falling short.
Palliative care passing this year was a great step forward for the quality of life for cancer patients and their families in West Virginia, but there is still a lot of work to be done. West Virginia has one of the highest rates of tobacco related cancer incidents and mortalities in the country. ACS CAN looks forward to working with lawmakers to reduce the toll of tobacco by restoring tobacco prevention and cessation funding and increasing the states tobacco taxes.
“As advocates, we have the opportunity to work with our West Virginia legislators on implementing policies and programs that prevent and treat cancer,” said Rosemary Thomas, state lead ambassador, ACS CAN. “Together, we can build stronger, healthier communities and ensure West Virginians have access to measures that prevent disease before it occurs, ultimately saving more lives from cancer.”
To view the complete report and details on West Virginia’s grades, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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.
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