American Cancer Society advocates from across Kansas will gather at the State Capitol in Topeka on Thursday, March 10, for Fight Back Against Cancer Lobby Day. Participants will first gather at the Jayhawk Tower, Florentine Room, 700 SW Jackson, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch and an update on the 2011 Legislative Session; then at 1 p.m. march to the Capitol for a rally on the south-side steps at 1:15 p.m.; and then move inside the Statehouse for one-on-one meetings with legislators for the remainder of the afternoon.

Advocates will meet with legislators to show their appreciation for passage of the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act and to express their concerns about recently-introduced House Bill 2340, which would give any bar that sells lottery tickets an exemption to the smoke free law. Advocates will also gain support and votes for reducing tobacco use and maintaining funding for mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women in the state.

“We come to Topeka because we have witnessed loved ones die from cancer or watched someone fight for their lives against this despicable disease,” says Gay Cornell, the Society’s state lead ambassador. “Many of us are cancer survivors, and we have learned that it's too late when we wait for the cancer diagnosis to begin the fight. We want to decrease tobacco use, especially by our children, now! We want early detection available to all Kansans, because we know it saves lives! We come to Topeka to talk to our legislators, because they have the power to make a difference in the fight against cancer and to save lives now. We want them to use it!”

1:15 p.m. Rally on South Side of Capitol The rally will include approximately 400 stories displayed on the Capitol south steps about how the Indoor Clean Air Act has positively impacted Kansans’ lives. The display will spell out “Fight Back” on the steps.

Fight Back Against Cancer Lobby Day Society advocates will speak with their Legislators about the following priorities for this session:

• Smoke-Free Kansas – On July 1, 2010, Kansas became one of 23 states that have enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws that prohibit smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. Advocates will discuss the critical importance of keeping this Indoor Clean Air Act strong and continuing to protect nearly every Kansan from the proven dangers of secondhand smoke.

• Other Tobacco Products Tax Parity – Currently, other tobacco products in Kansas such as chew, snuff, snus, strips, and cigars are taxed at far lower per-dose rates than cigarettes. The disproportionate taxation of these other tobacco products vs. cigarettes makes it easier for kids to pick up the nicotine addiction through lower priced products, and encourages smokers to switch to a lower taxed tobacco product to save money rather than quit or cut back on tobacco use. Increasing the rate of taxation on these products will help reduce overall consumption and youth usage and contribute nearly $10 million in additional state revenue each year.

• Breast Cancer – No woman should be refused a mammogram because she is uninsured or underinsured. Kansas' Early Detection Works program, which provides these mammograms, is severely underfunded, with only enough money to serve one in five eligible women. Last year, the Kansas legislature appropriated a total of $220,000 to fund this lifesaving program. While we believe increased funding should be a top priority, in these tight economic times ACS is working to at least sustain the current state funding.

For more information, contact Ryann Summerford at 816.617.4480 or ryann.summerford@cancer.org.