Tobacco Documents Online

I I f I I ~ Vil } ,! Searching for Cures L h_ Helping the Cancer Patient Michigan Cancer Foundation Mever L Prentu Gncer Center - 110 E. Werren Avenue Detroit.ylichigen TESTIMONY TO THE GOVERNOR'S PANEL ON SMOKING AND HEALTH (3131 833-0710 Mr. Chairperson and panel members: As a representative of the Michigan Cancer Foundation, an organization dedicated to research, prevention and service, may I say that we appreciate your invitation to address you regarding the very important issues relating to smoking and health. Cigarette smoking has been called this country's foremost preventable cause of death and disability and its greatest public health problem. In 1977, smoking played a major role in 220,000 deaths from heart disease, 78,000 lung cancer deaths and 22,000 deaths from other causes. Smoking has been estimated to be responsible for 20 percent of all cancer, 25 per- cent of all cardiovascular disease, and 40 percent of all respiratory disease. Michigan residents have shared in these statistics with a yearly death toll of over 14,000 of which 3,500 have been attributed to lung cancer and 9,500 to cardiovascular disease. National estimates of the number of working days lost annually because oF smoking range from 77 million in 1971 to 81 million in 1978. Michigan smokers hold their share in this area of disability loss of 4 million excess days of work per year. It has been suggested that smoking costs $3 per day per smoking employee based on insurance costs, sick days, absenteeism, down time, lost productivity and maintenance costs. According to the 1979 Surgeon General's Report on Smoking=and Health, current cigarette smokers have an approximately 70 percent greater chance of dying from cancer and other-diseases than nonsmokers. These diseases include lung cancer and cancers of the lip, tongue, mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, and urinary bladder; coronary heart disease, stroke and aortic aneurysm; chronic bronchitis and emphysema; and other diseases including peptic ulcers. Death rates for lung cancer are directly proportional to the number of cigar- ettes smoked•and to the years of cigarette smoking. Rates are higher for those who started smoking at younger ages and for those who inhale. ~ tn The best way to prevent lung cancer is not to smoke. After a person O~ stops smoking, the risk of lung cancer is greatly reduced. Although approxi- ~ mately 30-million Americans have stopped stsoking, about 50 million people in ~ the U.S. (2.5 million in Michigan) still smoke. Men develop lung cancer about ~ four times more often than do wor.:en, but the rate of lung cancer in women is .~ .increasing more rapidly than in men. The cancer registry data of the metro- politan Detroit area has revealed that there has been a marked increase of lung cancer of 34 percent for black wcmen between 1973 and 1977. The statistics for teenagers a s ovide little comfort. In 1977, 22 percent of youne people aged 12-17 were defined as smokers. From 1968 to 1974, there was a substantial in- crease in the percent of teenage girls reporting themselves to be regular ciaar- ette smokers. A Torrh Drive LnitcA 11'a~ .lccnn r -ia -

, Page 2 Although the decision to smoke or not to smoke may be individual in nature, the impact of such action is not simply a matter of individual choice. The choice to smoke is made in the context of a society which uses mass media to emphasize the habit and which continues to support industries which depend on- unhealthy products. We strongly recommend that the State of Michigan should take action to affect the environment in Michigan by providing a clear message in support of disease prevention and health promotion. The choice to smoke or not to smoke is truly not a personal one--it effects all citizens and is legi- timately a fundamental public concern. In light of these critical issues, we would strongly support an increase in the cigarette tax, which may reduce smoking among adults, and because of price elasticity in lower age groups, may tend to reduce or prevent smoking by teenagers and-pre-teens. In 1970, the Michigan cigarette tax was established at llt per pack. This tax has not been raised in 9 years. A pack of cigarettes which cost 35t in 1970 now costs about 70t. Thus the tax which, as a percent- of cost was 32 percent in 1970, is now only 16 percent. In order to properly address the problems posed by cigarette smoking and public health concerns, we urge the committee to recommend an increase of 5t per pack to be enacted and that 1t of this increase be slated for State smoking and health activities. The research mandate of the Governor's Citizen Panel reflects the need to develop an understanding of smoking phenomena which will improve the effective- ness of anti-smoking activities. A research grant program supported by the pro-. posed tax revenue would encourage innovative thinking and the development of effective and visible demonstrations. We strongly recommend that the Department of Public Health be authorized to develop a program to fund research and demon- stration projects concerned with smoking prevention, cessation and cessation reinforcement. In the legislative realm, we recommend oew legislation to assure compre- hensive protection of the rights of non-smokers for clean air in public places and work sites, accompanied by appropriate executive action for compliance and enforcement mechanisms; State support for federal adoption of a substantial (10-200 increase.in the Federal excise tax on cigarettes as a further means of discouraging the smoking habit. Economic issues that deal with incentives through insurance for nonsmoking as well as reimbursement for smoking cessation program participation should be cDnsidered. In the educational arena.we urge the panel to consider the develooment of new mechanisms to impact and innovative programs to assist smokers to quit, to promote the non-smoking behavior of children so they don't start to smoke and to provide support mechanisms to help individuals maintain a non-smol:ing habit. We at the Michigan Cancer Foundation pledge our support in advocating NOT SMOKING as one of the best ways to impact on disease, death and disability for ~ the citizens of Michigan. e6-1/,Fx177C77 sEC r/ 471 Ch*{ (-Q - Fouxol 4-77c7i /72 -rem -182- ( ~ f I I I I I d L E ~ L L