CHARLESTON, W. Va. –Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 48th annual Great American Smokeout® by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to reduce tobacco use. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use tobacco to create a plan to quit.
The following is a statement from Doug Hogan, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in West Virginia:
“The Great American Smokeout is not just an opportunity for people who use tobacco to set a plan to quit. It’s also a clear wake-up call for lawmakers to say it’s time for West Virginia to stand up to Big Tobacco. For too long, West Virginia has allowed the tobacco industry to addict people to deadly, cancer-causing products. It’s time to say, ‘enough is enough.’ Our residents deserve better.
“To mark the Great American Smokeout, ACS CAN calls on the governor-elect and lawmakers to prioritize using the $7.9 million JUUL settlement funding for programs that prevent tobacco use and help those already addicted quit. West Virginians need a well-funded, fact-based tobacco prevention program to counteract Big Tobacco’s deceptive marketing strategy and prevent another generation of people from becoming addicted to these deadly and addictive products.
“Furthermore, ACS CAN calls on lawmakers to prioritize passing legislation in the 2025 budget to include $4.5 million for the tobacco prevention program as the first step toward an eventual goal of investing $16.5 a year in prevention. As Big Tobacco has been working hard to addict future generations with e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, the need for increased funding for tobacco prevention programs has never been greater.
“Additionally, a $1.50 per pack cigarette tax increase with a parallel tax on all other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is also desperately needed to reduce the cancer burden in West Virginia. Significant tobacco tax increases are one of the most effective ways to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help adults quit.
“Tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of disease and death, and smoking is now linked to at least 12 types of cancers, including lung, liver and colorectal cancers. Each year, more than 4,300 West Virginians die from a smoking-related disease.
“On this Great American Smokeout, we urge the governor-elect and lawmakers to move quickly to increase tobacco control funding and taxes on tobacco products. Passing these policies will help West Virginians by reducing tobacco use and addiction, leading to fewer deaths and suffering from tobacco-related diseases like cancer.”
Free resources on quitting tobacco can be found at Quit Now West Virginia, by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or through the American Cancer Society’s cessation program, Empowered to Quit.