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 limit the toll of tobacco in New York. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use tobacco to create a plan to quit.
In New York, tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of disease and death, and smoking is linked to at least 12 types of cancers, including lung, liver and colorectal cancers. Each year, more than 28,000 die from a smoking-related disease in New York alone. Although these hazards are well established, around 10% of adults in New York still smoke. These products are highly addictive, and it can be difficult for people to quit using tobacco once they have started.
“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 New York to stand up to Big Tobacco,” said Michael Davoli, Senior Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in New York. “New York must deploy a robust and proactive strategy to curb tobacco use among adults and youth alike. As such, we at ACS CAN are urging lawmakers to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and all other flavored tobacco products, increase taxes on other tobacco products to ensure that all tobacco products are taxed at the same level to deter people from shifting to cheaper products and restore funding to $46.5 million, the level it was in 2023, for the New York State Tobacco Control Program. Paired together, these policies give New Yorkers the best shot at thwarting the deadly toll of tobacco.”
In addition to supporting New Yorkers in their efforts to quit and prevent youth uptake, advocates with ACS CAN are urging lawmakers to promote the early detection of tobacco-related cancers, like lung cancer, as it can have a dramatic effect on survival. For example, in the case of non-small cell lung cancer, which is the most common lung cancer, the 5-year survival rate is 65% when found at a localized stage but only 9% when found at a distant stage.
Earlier this year, the New York State Senate passed legislation (Senate Bill 8553-A) aiming to reduce barriers to lung cancer screening by eliminating cost-sharing requirements. The proposal received bipartisan support, and ACS CAN advocates are calling on the Assembly to take up the legislation upon their return to Albany in January.
Davoli concluded, “On this Great American Smokeout®, we urge New York lawmakers to support people impacted by tobacco addiction by making lung cancer screening more accessible. Passing this policy will help more New Yorkers to gain access to lifesaving screening, leading to fewer deaths and suffering from tobacco-related lung cancer.”
Free resources on quitting tobacco can be found at nysmokefree.com or through the American Cancer Society’s cessation program, Empowered to Quit.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.