Columbus, OH – June 28, 2017 – This statement can be attributed to Jeff Stephens, Director of Government Relations in Ohio for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).
“ACS CAN commends the legislature for protecting funding for Ohio’s Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program at the Ohio Department of Health. We are grateful that our lawmakers recognize the proven value and return on investment of these programs. This funding will help those already addicted to tobacco quit and help prevent our young Ohioans from ever starting to use tobacco.
“Tobacco use is directly attributable to over 30 percent of cancer deaths in Ohio. Therefore, we are disappointed that the legislature missed an opportunity to further reduce the toll of tobacco on Ohio by not increasing Ohio’s tobacco taxes. As the state faces a budget shortfall, raising the cigarette tax by $1 per pack would have generated new reliable annual revenue of $313 million per year and would have kept 50,300 kids from ever starting to smoke.
“Finally, ACS CAN praises the legislature for protecting the Governor’s proposed investment in Ohio’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Project and expanding the eligibility criteria. This program will now provide vital cancer screenings, such as mammograms, to a larger base of low income, uninsured, women in our state.”