Despite a large number of dedicated and very able Oncologists and many excellent cancer treatment facilities in RI, cancer has remained a serious problem. Although the number of cancers seen each year is slightly above average for an old industrial urban state, the death rate from cancer is well above the national average. Six out of ten cancers are curable. Of the other four, two could have been prevented. The use of tobacco is the leading preventable killer in the United States. In RI, deaths from tobacco related cancers: lung, throat, or bladder cancer is 10 to 15% higher than the national average. For lung cancer we actually have 13% higher incidence of lung cancer in men and 8% higher in women. Unfortunately, even with the best treatment available today, nine out of ten lung cancers are fatal.

Thirty-five years ago the Surgeon General warned of the dangers of tobacco use. Despite this warning, since nine out of ten lung cancers are in smokers, we have seen a steadily rising mortality from lung cancer. Initially, this was primarily in men but now lung exceeds breast cancer as the leading cause of death from cancer in women.

We know that the nicotine in tobacco is an addictive drug. We now face an epidemic of youthful nicotine addiction with 29% of our high school seniors regular smokers. For the first time in decades we have seen an increased use of tobacco on college campuses here in RI.

We cannot escape the facts. The cost in health care, lost wages, not to mention the personal tragedies are horrendous. We need enhanced efforts to prevent the continuation of the nicotine addiction epidemic in youngsters and we need to expand our resources to help those already afflicted to permanently cease tobacco use. If a reasonable percentage (approximately 20%) of the tobacco settlement funds which the State of RI will be receiving over the next decade were set aside each year for health related tobacco control, we could undertake effective and ultimately successful efforts in education and programs to change societal acceptance of this risky health behavior. We cannot shirk our responsibilities now that the irrefutable facts are before us, when resources could be available to develop a meaningful program for tobacco control.

(Part 1 of a two-part series - Click here for Part 2)

For more information and answers to specific questions contact the Rhode Island Cancer Council at Tel@ricancercouncil.org or call us at (401) 728-4800 or toll free 866-879-4100.

IT IS EASIER TO PREVENT CANCER THAN TO TREAT IT.

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