CHARLESTON, W. Va., May 31, 2018– The following is a statement from Juliana Frederick Curry, West Virginia government relations director for American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).
“The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network would like to take today, World No Tobacco Day, to remind the state legislature that they need to do better when it comes to reducing the toll of tobacco on West Virginians.
“Tobacco is a big problem for our state, both in the human toll and the financial cost. Tobacco products are addictive and deadly. In West Virginia, nearly 25 percent of adults still smoke, and more than 1,000 kids under 18 become addicted to cigarette smoking every year. Smoking is projected to cause 4,300 deaths in 2018.
“What’s more, the costs associated with tobacco affect all of us, whether we use it or not. Each West Virginia household annually shells out an average of $1,188 in taxes from smoking-caused government expenditures. When people who use tobacco are ready to quit, it makes good sense to provide them with programs to support them. Sustainable funding for state tobacco control programs has proven to be a critical factor in helping people quit. But in 2017, the West Virginia Legislature zeroed out funding for tobacco prevention programs that reduce the toll of tobacco and improve public health.
“To reduce the devastating health impact of cancer and other tobacco-related disease, we need to invest in programs that prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help others who are already addicted to quit. Despite much progress, the current rates of tobacco use remain unacceptable, and more than two-thirds (68 percent) of people currently addicted to cigarette smoking indicate they would still like to quit. Simply stated, these are people who need our help, and they are being hurt by eliminating funding to the lifesaving tobacco control program. Their lives are depending on it.
“ACS CAN is asking the legislature to restore the tobacco prevention and cessation funding to its previous level. We know this will make a difference in the fight against tobacco.”
World No Tobacco Day, May 31, is organized by the World Health Organization to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective tobacco control policies.
About ACS CAN
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.
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