Smoking – Indiana HB 1149

On Thursday, January 5, Representative Eric Turner introduced House Bill (HB) 1149 that prohibits smoking in many public places. HB 1149, which was co-sponsored by Representatives Charlie Brown, Tim Brown, and Peggy Welch, includes exemptions for casino gambling floors, betting parlors, private clubs, and cigar and hookah bars. While the Indiana Cancer Consortium (ICC) supports a comprehensive smoking ban with no exemptions, we currently stand in support with the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air as well as out other statewide partners on this clean air effort.

(Link: The official statement from the Indiana Cancer Consortium on Indiana HB 1149.)

Talking Points from the Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures 2012

The need to decrease the number of smokers and reduce the amount of secondhand smoke in Indiana remains as prevalent and urgent today as it was over a decade ago. In Indiana, over 1 million adults smoke, accounting for 21.2% of the Hoosier population (the average adult smoking rate in the United States: 17.2% in 2010). When considering the health impact, 4,000 Hoosiers die from lung cancer every year. Smoking accounts for 87% of lung cancer deaths and at least 30% of all cancer deaths across the nation. If all tobacco smoking was stopped, the occurrence of lung cancer would decrease by an estimated 90%.

Secondhand smoke (smoke breathed in involuntarily by someone who is not smoking) can be just as detrimental. Each year, an estimated 50,000 American and 1,240 Hoosier nonsmokers die from exposure to secondhand smoke. Therefore, while HB 1149 is not a comprehensive smokefree air bill, the effort displays a significant step forward for the state of Indiana.

Time to Take Action

As an individual, the best ways to avoid developing lung cancer are to not start or to quit smoking tobacco and avoid all secondhand smoke exposure. Quitting tobacco smoking substantially decreases your risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease. Smokers who quit smoking, regardless of age, live longer than people who continue to smoke.

As a community, it is time to implement smokefree air policies and higher taxes on tobacco products. Annually, tobacco use costs Indiana over 2 billion dollars in health care costs, including approximately 487 million dollars in Medicaid payments alone.

So, how can you stand with the ICC in support of HB 1149?

Do you only have two minutes?

Share a link to this article on your social networks and let your friends know how important HB 1149 is.

Do you have more than two minutes?

Write an email to an Indiana legislator and let them know how important HB 1149 is. Here is a list of legislators in the House Public Health Committee to contact:

Email caleb@indianacancer.org for more information on how the ICC needs your help.

 

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – Indiana Prostate Cancer Screening Events

Did you know September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month? How about that prostate cancer is nearly 100% survivable if detected early? Screening events are taking place all across Indiana this month. Please see the list below to find one near you. If you know of any additional Indiana prostate screening events, please let us know in the comments.

 

Central Indiana Cancer Centers

Free screening program, accepts 8 patients per month

Call: (317) 356-2422 (CICC)

http://indianacancer.com/your-visit/our-services/cancer-screening/monthly-screening-program/

 

Community Healthcare System

Free Screenings

Sept. 17, 2011 from 9-10:45a.m.

Community Hospital Outpatient Center, 9660 Wicker Ave., St. John, IN

Call: (219) 836-3477 or 866-836-3477 to register

 

Sept. 21 2011 from 5-6:45 p.m.

Community Hospital, 901 MacArthur Blvd, Munster, IN

(219) 836-3477 to register

 

Franciscan St. Anthony Health

Free Screenings

Sept. 13 and 14 from 4-6 p.m. and Sept. 15 from 9-11 a.m.

The Burrell Center Institute, 1201 S. Main St., Crown Point, IN

800-931-3322 to register

 

Goshen Center for Cancer Care

Free screenings ongoing

http://www.goshenprostatescreening.org/

 

Hendricks Regional Health and Urology of Indiana

Free Screenings

Sept. 13 and 14 between 5-6 p.m.

Location: Urology of Indiana office (Building Three), Danville, IN

100 Hosptial Ln, Suite 105

Http://www.hendricks.org/formbuilder/forms.aspx?formid=7070&sid=1

 

IU Health Methodist Hospital

Monday, Sept. 19 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

(317) 916-3525

 

IU Health University Hospital

Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m.

(317) 948-2081

 

IU Health West Hospital Cancer Center

Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m.

(317) 217-3627

 

Northeast Indiana Urology

Free Screenings

Sept. 21, 2011 from 1 to 4 p.m.

(260) 443-7420

http://www.neiurology.com/node/250

 

Regional Cancer Center at IU Health Morgan

Friday, Sept. 9, from 8 to 4 p.m.

(765) 349-6533

 

Riverview Cancer Center

Reduced cost screenings for $25, ongoing

(317) 776-7179

http://www.riverview.org/cancer-center.html

 

St. Vincent Hospital Trinity Clinic

Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m.

(317) 338.2273

 

St. Vincent Mercy Hospital

Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m.

(765) 552-4587

 

Trinity Free Clinic, St. Vincent, and Urology of Indiana

Free screenings

Sept. 20, 2011

Location: 14598 Oak Ridge Road, Carmel, IN

http://www.trinityfreeclinic.org/

 

Urology of Indiana

Free Screenings

Sept. 19, 2011

St. Francis Indianapolis

Call: Urology of Indiana at 1-877-362-2778 or St. Francis Indianapolis, (317) 528-5000

 

Sept. 21, 2011

IU Health West

Call: Urology of Indiana 1-877-362-2778 or IU Health West (3170 217-3000

http://www.urologyin.com/even.html

 

Witham Health Services

Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.

(765) 485-8120

 

Fifty People, One Question

On August 15, 2011, we grabbed a camera and set it up at the heart of Indianapolis. We had one question, and we wanted fifty answers. One by one, people took a leap of faith and stepped in front of our camera – not knowing what we might ask.

Here’s the result of what happens when you ask fifty strangers:

“If you could say one message to someone living with cancer, what would it be?”

Thank you to our fifty participants who gave us their time, their stories, and their honesty.

This is dedicated to all those living with cancer, the survivors, and their loving caregivers.

 

Introducing the ICC Blog

Nearly ten years ago, the Indiana State Department of Health, the Indiana University Cancer Center, the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Public Health, and the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division launched the Indiana Cancer Consortium (ICC), a statewide network of public and private partnerships united to reduce the burden of cancer in Indiana. Over the last decade, the ICC has welcomed over 150 members, both individuals and organizations, representing all regions and counties across the state of Indiana. Year after year, these members join together in partnership, collaboration, and organization to carry out the objectives established in a comprehensive plan that addresses cancers across the continuum from prevention through palliation.

Today, we are proud to announce our next organizational milestone and our next step in the fight against cancer: The Indiana Cancer Consortium Blog!

What can you expect from the ICC Blog?

The blog will be a place for the ICC to elaborate on its mission and objectives represented in the state plan by providing committee updates, event announcements, and various accomplishments achieved by the ICC and/or ICC partner organizations. However, more importantly, the blog will act as a tool for better connecting the consortium with members, health professionals, other coalitions, and various citizens interested in cancer control and prevention. With this blog, we promise to be more transparent and more accessible, and as a result, we hope to provide readers with both educational and informative content.

What will be written about on the blog?

The blog will focus on evidence-based cancer control and prevention with a specific aim to educate professionals and the public on the objectives outlined in the Indiana Cancer Control Plan, 2010-2014.

That said, our blog will also reflect the many hats the ICC wears in the Indiana cancer community (leader, advocate, planner, cheerleader, provider, etc.). In short, blog articles will explore:

  • The depths of cancer control in developing, implementing, and evaluating a state plan;
  • The intricacies of establishing local cancer control coalitions;
  • Advocacy issues ICC committees and partner organizations are undertaking;
  • Best practices on how to use social media with public health;
  • Cancer facts and figures reports specific to the Indiana cancer burden.

All this in addition to a few special blog series that you will surely not want to miss out on!

Wrapping up…

So, welcome to all of our readers! This project is one that will evolve over time to the needs of our members and readers, but we hope you are as excited as we are about what is to come. We encourage you to get involved by commenting on our posts and letting us know your thoughts or what your organization may be doing in the field of cancer control. Finally, we love hearing from our members and invite those interested to contact us for guest blogging opportunities.

Until next time, thanks for reading and have a good day!