TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher, which would create a statewide campaign to improve awareness of lung cancer in women, was approved by the full Senate today.
“The Surgeon General just released a report that found that since 1965 the number of smoking related deaths nationwide each year has more than doubled to over 400,000,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “Smoking-induced lung cancer is now the foremost cause of cancer deaths among women. More women die every year from lung cancer than from breast cancer.”
According to Senator Karcher, “In the past decade the number of adolescent women who smoke has increased rapidly and it is crucial that we do everything we can to raise awareness of the dangers caused by smoking and second-hand smoke.”
Senator Karcher’s bill, S-605 would allocate $75,000 from a cancer-related screening and education program by the Department of Health and Senior Services to be used for the lung cancer awareness in women project.
“The best thing we can do to reduce the number of those who get lung cancer is deter the public from smoking,” said Senator Karcher. “It’s important that we provide information on the dangers of smoking and the warning signs of lung cancer to the residents of this State, especially the women.”
Senator Karcher stated that, “New Jersey is about to enact a statewide indoor smoking ban because we understand the dangerous effects that smoking and second hand smoke have on our health. Through both a lung cancer awareness campaign and the indoor smoking ban, we will make strides in decreasing the number of lung cancer victims.”
The bill now goes to the Assembly for consideration.