2020 Legislative Priorities

Tobacco Control and Prevention

Tobacco Tax

Tobacco tax increases are one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking and other tobacco use, especially among our youth.  In order to prevent initiation and promote cessation, ACS CAN is advocating to ensure that all forms of tobacco products including electronic smoking devices are taxed at the same rate as cigarettes. This effort would include licensing of all tobacco retailers for tax collection and enforcement.

Regulating the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

The aggressive use of flavors and marketing tactics by the tobacco industry has resulted with a rapid increase in smoking by youth and young adults. Flavors are a marketing weapon the tobacco manufacturers use to target youth and young people to a lifetime of addiction and exposes them to a lifetime of nicotine addiction, disease, and premature death. ACS CAN is working on legislation to ban flavored tobacco including electronic smoking devices and menthol.

Access to lifesaving cancer drugs

Anyone with cancer should have the option to participate in a clinical trial, no matter their type of insurance coverage, and everyone benefits when more people from all demographic groups participate in research. Unfortunately, many Medicaid programs refuse to cover any care, including routine care, if a patient opts to enroll in a clinical trial. The State of Hawaii does not yet cover routine care within cancer clinical trials for their Medicaid enrollees. ACS CAN will advocate for Medicaid coverage of routine costs for all Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in cancer clinical trials to increase access to care to those that need it the most.