State of the State Must Include Cancer-Fighting Measures

Statement from Ethan Hasbrouck, NJ Director of Advocacy, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network re: Gov. Christie’s State of the State Address.

“We estimate that more than 50,000 New Jerseyans received a cancer diagnosis in 2012, with more than 16,000 residents dying from the disease. That’s 136 diagnoses and more than 40 deaths each day.  Gov. Christie’s State of the State Address should review the state’s cancer fighting initiatives and what New Jersey will do to reduce the prevalence of this deadly disease. Critically important cancer-fighting measures include:

Health Insurance Exchange – The only thing worse than a cancer diagnosis is not having the insurance to pay for the treatment.  More than 1.3 million uninsured New Jerseyans could be able to purchase health plans through a health insurance exchange. An exchange will help ensure that cancer patients have unrestricted access to high quality, affordable, adequate health insurance coverage that is simple to navigate and easy to understand. Nearly 10 percent of cancer patients are uninsured at the time of diagnosis. 

Tobacco-Fighting Efforts – South Jersey experiences higher smoking rates and, as a result, higher lung cancer rates.  Curbing smoking is the best way to reduce lung cancer.  New Jersey reaps nearly $1 billion in revenues from tobacco but spends virtually nothing to help smokers quit and keep kids from starting to smoke. A recent report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and its tobacco-fighting partners ranked New Jersey 50th in the nation for its relatively non-existent efforts. The state’s tobacco control program must be better funded.

New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection (NJ CEED) Program - NJ CEED provides free breast, cervical and colon cancer screening to the uninsured and underinsured. Last year, the Governor and the Legislature agreed to boost funding for this life-saving program.  Even with implementation of the Affordable Care Act, this program will be necessary to serve vulnerable New Jerseyans.  This program’s funding should be maintained.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network hopes that Gov. Christie will see the cancer-fighting value of these programs and discuss them in his State of the State message.”

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About the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
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.