Senator Jerry Hill and Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen Honored at Annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Legislative Event Recognizing Lawmakers and their Impact on the Cancer Fight

Sacramento, CA – Medicine is not the only venue for fighting cancer. Public policy also plays a role in reducing the cancer burden and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) wants to make sure that the elected officials at the forefront of the cancer fight get recognized.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, ACS CAN’s annual California Legislative Awards Reception will be held virtually this year on August 13, 2020, from 5:00-6:15 p.m. ACS CAN is recognizing two lawmakers who have worked tirelessly to reduce the devastation caused by tobacco use, which remains the #1 cause of preventable death in California.

The latest strategy the tobacco industry is using to addict future generations tobacco industry is to entice kids with fruit, candy and menthol flavored tobacco products. Tantalizing flavors are fueling a youth e-cigarette epidemic. More than 5 million kids now use e-cigarettes, which is why bold action is needed.

ACS CAN 2020 honorees are:

• Senator Jerry Hill—State Legislator of the Year

Author of pending legislation to ends the sale of flavored tobacco in California (Senate Bill 793)

• Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen—Local Legislator of the Year

Author of the successful City of Sacramento ordinance to end sale of flavored tobacco.

• Senator Lena Gonzales will also be recognized for accepting ACS CAN’s Snuff Tobacco out of California Politics pledge to reject contributions from tobacco companies and their subsidiaries.

A panel discussion called Flavored Tobacco: Will California Stop Big Tobacco’s Latest Deadly Scheme? will follow the awards presentations and include the following experts:

• Dr. Stan Glantz, Director Center for Tobacco Control and Research, University of California, San Francisco
• Carol McGruder, Co-chair, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council

To rsvp for the event, go to www.fightcancer.org/sacramento. Registration deadline is August 10, 2020. Questions? Contact [email protected].

About ACS CAN: The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.