Press Room

Alabama is falling short when it comes to implementing policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer.

South Carolina is falling short when it comes to implementing policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer.

North Carolina is falling short when it comes to implementing policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer.

State lawmakers across the country are missing important opportunities to pass and implement proven legislative solutions to prevent and fight cancer, according to a report released today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality grades states on the strength of evidence-based policies that help to prevent cancer, which kills roughly 1,670 people a day nationwide, forces patients to pay nearly $4 billion in out-of-pocket expenses every year and in 2015 cost the country more than $80 billion in direct medical expenditures. 

Missouri falls 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,” Missouri measured up to policy recommendations in just two of the nine issue areas. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network released the report today.

Minnesota gets mixed reviews when it comes to implementing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer according to the latest edition of How Do You Measure Up?.

BOSTON - Today, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law legislation that will increase the statewide age of sale for tobacco products - including e-cigarettes - from 18 to 21, include e-cigarettes in the smoke-free workplace law, and prohibit the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.

BOSTON –  The Massachusetts House and Senate today enacted H4784, An act to protect youth from the health risks of tobacco and nicotine addiction, which takes a comprehensive approach to tobacco control efforts in the Commonwealth.

In the last few weeks nine states have worked to pass bills that restrict local lawmakers’ ability to pass future innovative and proactive public health policies. These bills are known as “preemption bills” because they block, or preempt, authority of lower levels of government to pass laws stronger than state law. Preemption bills are popular among groups like the tobacco industry to prevent future legislation that could impact the sale of its products. The following is a Statement from Christopher W. Hansen, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

AUGUSTA – Nearly one year ago, Maine became the fourth state in the nation to raise the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21.