All Updates

The Denver City Council voted 11-1 Monday evening to end the sale of most flavored tobacco products within city limits. While the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and its team of advocates, including cancer survivors and patients, are encouraged by the decision, the legislation includes an exemption for flavored hookah tobacco products which ACS CAN does not support.

Earlier today, Senate Bill 3098 was unanimously voted out of the Senate Commerce Committee. This legislation, which aims to ensure that biomarker testing is covered by Medicaid and all other state-regulated insurance plans when patients need it, now advances to the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee for further consideration. In October, the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee approved identical legislation (Assembly Bill 4163), which now awaits a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Lung Association, and American Heart Association commend the Dallas City Council's recent amendment to the city’s comprehensive smoke-free ordinance to include e-cigarettes, vaporizers, and other electronic smoking devices. This significant update reflects the council's ongoing commitment to safeguarding public health. It instills a sense of security in the community to know that the council is dedicated to creating a safer environment for all Dallas residents.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Lung Association, and American Heart Association commend the Dallas City Council's recent amendment to the city’s comprehensive smoke-free ordinance to include e-cigarettes, vaporizers, and other electronic smoking devices. This significant update reflects the council's ongoing commitment to safeguarding public health. It instills a sense of security in the community to know that the council is dedicated to creating a safer environment for all Dallas residents.

On December 9, the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota granted a preliminary injunction in the case of Kansas v. United States. This decision temporarily blocks the Final Rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which expands insurance coverage eligibility to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients in 19 states.

Key public health, patient and provider groups have come out in support of improving access to biomarker testing in New Jersey, urging lawmakers to advance and pass Assembly Bill 4163 / Senate Bill 3098 this legislative session. This fall, a broad coalition of over 30 organizations, medical leaders and patient advocates wrote to members of the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance (AFI) Committee to vote in favor of A4163, which they did—unanimously—several weeks ago. Now, the New Jersey Biomarker Coalition is looking to the Assembly Appropriations and Senate Commerce Committees to take up this bill and follow the lead of their AFI member colleagues.

The Oakland City Council passed a smoke-free ordinance to prohibit smoking in multi-unit housing and bar patios; however, the ordinance exempts smoking cannabis in multi-unit housing.