Iowa ranks in the middle in report on effort to end cancer

Alarmingly, funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs is one of the issues with the fewest states meeting the benchmark in this year’s report.

Twenty-five states, including Kansas and Missouri, have reached benchmarks in only two or fewer of the 10 legislative priority areas measured in the report.

Thus, the reports recommend raising the tax amount significantly which will eventually decrease the smoking rate and use of tobacco products among people.

“In New Mexico, we have a ways to go to catch up with some of our policies that are designed to prevent cancer or treat cancer, along the cancer care continuum”, said American Cancer Society of New Mexico’s Government Relations Director Sandra Adondakis. Backing for the measure keeps growing, with more than 875 businesses and organizations across the state signed on in support. The report also looks at whether or not a state has said yes to federal funds available to increase access to care through its Medicaid program, has passed policies proven to increase patient quality of life and offers a well-balanced approach to pain medications.

From the group’s perspective, New York fares well when it comes to cigarette taxes, where the state charges a highest-in-the-nation rate of $4.35 a pack.

Passing and implementing the policy recommendations in the report would not only save lives in New York State, but also save millions in long-term health care costs and in some cases would even generate additional, much-needed revenue. Green is good. We got high marks for smoke-free laws, pain policy and increased access to Medicaid, which Streit says is imperative for cancer patients. Iowa only has around $5 million.

“This is a return on investment”, she said. “You’re reducing your expenditures in other areas of state spending”. So has the number of Kansas diagnosed with melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. The Iowa Legislature has yet to pass a bill limiting indoor tanning to those 18 and older.

The report may not have a direct bearing on efforts to win National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer cetner designation for the University of Kansas Cancer Center. Tobacco use will account a third of those deaths.

The Massachusetts law, which requires the use of eye protection and limited time use, reads: “No person 14 years of age to 17 years of age, inclusive, shall use a tanning device without the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian who shall indicate therein that such parent or guardian has read and understood the warnings required under the provisions of section 209”.

Bryan Thompson is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team.