2013 Legislative Accomplishments in New Mexico

ACS CAN supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.  Thanks to all of our wonderful and dedicated volunteers we were able accomplish the following:

Protecting Cancer Patient Access to Pain Management ACS CAN members successfully opposed a bill that sought to complicate the way certain pain medications are prescribed and dispensed.  The bill would have had a potentially devastating impact on many cancer patients across the state who rely on these medications to help ease their pain and enable them to complete their treatments, get through their daily routines, and appreciate time spent with family and friends.

Protecting Tobacco Control Program FundingACS CAN members opposed any attempts by the state of New Mexico to take money from tobacco use prevention and cessation programs managed by the New Mexico Department of Health and the Indian Affairs Department. These programs are paid for by revenues from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement - and not state taxpayer money. The net effect of these programs in the last decade is that 81,400 fewer adults are smoking now in New Mexico.  State funding for our Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Programs remains level for state fiscal year 2014.

Defending Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection and Treatment FundingWe were successful in defending funding for early detection and treatment of breast and cervical cancer for uninsured and underinsured women of New Mexico.  State funding for the early detection program and the treatment program remain level for state fiscal year 2014. 

Tobacco Tax LoopholeWe supported a bill that would have raised the tax on non-cigarette tobacco products, equalizing it with the cigarette tax rate. The current tax discrepancy between different types of tobacco interferes with tobacco cessation efforts - and the tobacco companies exploit this loophole for that reason -- and is detrimental to New Mexico youth.  Increasing the tax on cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff and loose tobacco would put these harmful and highly addictive products a little further out of reach of New Mexico kids.  The bill passed its first committee with bipartisan support, but unfortunately failed to pass out of its second committee by one vote. Nevertheless, numerous messages were conveyed to legislators by ACS CAN volunteers, including many notes of thanks to the sponsor for her relentless efforts to protect New Mexico kids and families.

Protecting the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement FundsACS CAN reduced the impact of a bill that diverted funds from the tobacco settlement permanent fund to non-health-related programs. The permanent fund is a long term investment in the future of tobacco use prevention, intended to be used in reducing tobacco use and related health and economic costs to New Mexicans as Master Settlement Agreement payments to NM decrease over time. The final bill diverts funds for one year instead of indefinitely.

Total Cancer-Related Appropriations in NM: $7,372,300

For More Information, Contact: Sandra Adondakis, New Mexico Government Relations Director
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

 Cell: 505.382.2280 • Office: 505.262.6019 • email: [email protected]

1.888.NOW.I.CAN • www.fightcancer.org/nm