Tobacco Documents Online

Au-,:st _ +, My name is June Asselin and I am the Education Coord:nator with the Michigan Dental Association. The ".;chigan Dental Association is the professional representat_ve bedy for dent_str,/ ir. Michigan. As dental care is essential to teta'_ bcdy :,rell-beinh, the MDA has worked diligently to provide health education for the public and has a compelling interest in oral health. Consecuently, I am here today to testify in support of anti-smoking legislation, anti-smoking education, and any other measures to recuce or elimi- nate tobacco use. The relationship between tobacco use and cancer has ieen amply documnented. The use of tobacco, both in s^io;ci::^ and chewinh, is attended by an increased risk of ccntracting cancer in the oral cavity and surrounding tissues. The various forms of carcinoma associated with the smoking and/or chewing o.` tobacco present a disease state which has a disappointingly low cure rate, given the fact that oral cancer often grows insidiouslv until gross defor^:- ities demand a late recognition. Once oral cancer is diagnosed, sur,aica: procedures are often necessary. These procedures can result in severe disfigurement of the head and neck area. Such patients can be unable to resume prior eccupational and social activity. The resultant cost to society and to the individual is crippling, though difficult to measure. Concerned with the prevention of oral cancer, the uDA Board of Trustees recommended a rigorous educational program for both the public and the dental profession by passing resolutions for its members to: 1. Set an example by not smoking; 2. Encourage patients not to smoke; 3. Discourage the sale of smoking tobacco in public b ildi 4. u ngs ; Encour age the establishment cf .^.cn-smeki.^.g areas 5. in public; Encourage and all members of the health team, as well as the public, not to smoke. Further, the use of smoking tobacco has been prohibited at all of ficial meetings of the Xichigan Denta'_ Asseciation. Most recently, the MDA Committee on Cancer Control, Vcspital and InstitLa_Cnal Dental Services sDOnsoreC, :n cooDeratlon with the A-mer_can Cancer Society, an oral cancer symposium for metical and dental professionals. The 250 partici^a::-s were alerted to diag:,ostic indicators of oral cancer as we_; as current treatmen~ -:odalities. I I I I I I p I ~ L ..,-)1, , . -_ ~ i, MICHIGAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION -141- L

I I I I I I I I L L L L ^ee oral cancer screenings _c-r _ne oub~_c ^ave a_so --een o::ered by soc_et=es o_ 7^E ~^.~. S:att-(J_'Z?. e sCre?.^.iaos have _deni.i=ie'.j cases O: rai CaP.cEr a5 'r1L'-1'_ dc- Crovided Cn-the-57o-, ^d_innt Ed::cat_Cn to hundreds OC DeOC_°_ '"he `"ichir.an Der.tal Assoc:atior, reaf f:rms ~`s res,-:ve to educate `iichi'gan residents regarding the cancer-causin~,, potential of tobacco use. Fu-.ure hope for oral cancer control rests pri- mari'_y upon public and Drofessional awareness, early datec_icn and preveP.tion. IoreRiost in prevent_oZ is °_l:mi.^.atioa of the known hazard, tobacco use. The MDA urges the Citizens Panel on Sr.,or.;nE and Health to ;.^.form the public that smoking eliminates health. cmb -142- ~ `