SIGN and SHARE the Petition to Ban Asbestos Without Loopholes or Exemptions
Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2017 (S.2072)
Posted on January 30, 2018
With more support in Congress for The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act than ever before, we’re getting closer and closer to a federal ban on asbestos – a linchpin in our goal of preventing asbestos-caused cancer. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is proud to join people from across the country in recognizing February as National Cancer Prevention Month. This message goes global on February 4, as well, for World Cancer Day.
While promising research continues, prevention remains the only cure for asbestos-caused diseases. Despite being armed with over a century of scientific data, asbestos remains legal and lethal in the U.S. and imports continue. Each year, up to 15,000 American die from preventable diseases.
As ADAO says, “Hear Asbestos. Think Prevention.”
The facts about cancer are irrefutable:
- The American Cancer Society estimates 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2018 alone, while 609,640 people will die from cancer in the same year.
- The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) estimates that almost one-third of the most common cancers in the U.S. could be prevented if Americans moved more, weighed less and ate more healthfully. That’s approximately 340,000 cases every year that never have to happen. Add in not smoking and avoiding sun damage and that figure climbs even higher—nearly half of U.S. cancers could be prevented by changing our everyday habits.
- The World Cancer Report 2014 highlighted some key aspects in the global fight against cancer – several of which have a direct impact in supporting a global asbestos ban. The report states that in 2012, the most common and most fatal cancer in the world was lung cancer (1.8 million causes diagnosed with 1.6 million deaths annually). Lung cancer is often a cancer caused by airborne carcinogens including smoke, pollution, and other harmful chemicals such as asbestos.
National Cancer Prevention month is a great opportunity to join the online conversation and remember to use the hashtags #WeCanICan and #WorldCancerDay. How will you take action this month? I am honored to join the Congressional National Cancer Prevention Caucus and present at Less Cancer’s National Cancer Prevention Day and to continue to circulate the stats and facts about cancer on social media. Stay tuned for educational updates throughout this critical month of advocacy!
Together, we can end asbestos-caused cancers.
In unity,
Linda