ACS CAN Praises Governor Carney for His Support of Tobacco 21 in Delaware

DOVER, DE –Jan. 17, 2019 – Earlier today, during his State of State Address, Governor John Carney announced his support for enacting a law that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to those younger than 21. Currently tobacco products can be sold to people as young as 18. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds and thanks Governor Carney for his leadership. 

“Delaware can take an important step to protect the health of our young people. Increasing the age for the sale of tobacco products to 21 just makes sense,” said ACS CAN Delaware government relations director Jeanne Chiquoine. “Across the nation, six states have adopted tobacco 21 policies.”

A December 2016 Report of the US Surgeon General found e-cigarette use among youth and young adults has become a public health concern and that e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. 

“Clearly, kids are being enticed by candy-like flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes,” said Chiquoine.

Smoking kills over 1,400 adults in Delaware annually.  Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer, for both men and women.  An estimated 840 Delawareans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year and an estimated 540 will die from the disease.

“While Delaware has made great strides in fighting tobacco use, we have not won the war against Big Tobacco.  We must do more to protect low income residents from the tobacco industry and prevent our kids from being enticed into an addiction,” said Chiquoine. “We encourage the governor, and the legislature to act on legislation to protect the lives of Delaware’s young people in the fight against Big Tobacco.”

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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