**MEDIA ADVISORY**
Cancer Patients and Survivors Travel to Concord to Urge Legislators to Protect Granite Stater’s Right to Smoke-Free Air
CONCORD – January 17, 2016 – Dozens of cancer survivors and their families from throughout New Hampshire will gather at the State House on Thursday to urge legislators to protect the right to breathe clean indoor air.
The visit is part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s annual legislative breakfast, which will bring over 50 people touched by cancer and lawmakers together to urge the legislature to make cancer a priority.
This year, nearly 8,670 people will be diagnosed with cancer in New Hampshire and an estimated 2,710 will lose their battle with the disease. But those gathering at the State House Thursday are working with legislators to change that.
Advocates will urge lawmakers to oppose House Bill 279, which would roll back a decade old protection of clean indoor air that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants. The bill would also remove the protections in privately run grocery stores, restaurants, and cocktail lounges, along with transportation, such as taxis, buses and boats.
“ACS CAN strongly opposes any legislation that would weaken New Hampshire’s clean indoor air laws. Now is the time to be looking forward to continued progress in the fight against cancer – not the time for stepping back to undo a decade long protection of clean indoor air,” said Mike Rollo, director government relations for ACS CAN in New Hampshire:
WHO: Over 50 Cancer Survivors, Patients and ACS CAN Volunteers; New Hampshire Legislators
WHAT: ACS CAN New Hampshire Legislative Breakfast
WHERE: State House Cafeteria, 107 North Main Street in Concord
WHEN: Thursday, January 19th from 8:00am - 10:00am
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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