Release from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Elected officials, patient organizations, healthcare advocates and high school students will come together Thursday to applaud the passage of House Bill 4494 and to encourage the Senate to act swiftly to address the toll of tobacco on West Virginia.
West Virginia still has the highest tobacco use rate in the country and the youth e-cigarette epidemic only continues to grow.
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the House passed HB 4494 which will provide a funding stream for tobacco education and prevention programs, and tobacco cessation initiatives. The bill also creates a task force that will recommend and monitor the establishment and management of programs that are found to be effective in the reduction of all tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, with a strong focus on the prevention of children and young adults’ use of tobacco products.
Delegate Daryl Cowles and Delegate Mick Bates joined forces to work in a bipartisan fashion to help refocus resources for the citizens of West Virginia to stop leading the nation in tobacco usage.
WHO:
Delegate Mick Bates, bill sponsor
Delegate Daryl Cowles, bill sponsor
Melanie Pagliaro, associate, H2C Public Policy
Juliana Frederick Curry, government relations director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Dr. Cathy Slemp, state health officer, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health
Kelsi Akers and Haley Ceravolo, Boone County high school students
Travis Mollohan, director of government relations, West Virginia University
WHAT: Press Conference
WHERE: West Virginia State Capitol, McManus Conference Room 252
WHEN: Thursday, February 27, 10 a.m.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
