| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating November 2011 as "Lung Cancer |
| 3 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Florida ranks second in the nation in both the |
| 6 | number of new lung cancer cases and the number of deaths per |
| 7 | year, with approximately 18,500 Floridians diagnosed in 2010 and |
| 8 | an estimated 11,600 expected to die from this disease, and |
| 9 | WHEREAS, lung cancer causes more deaths than any other |
| 10 | cancer, the 5-year survival rate for all stages of lung cancer |
| 11 | combined is only 16 percent, and screening for early lung cancer |
| 12 | detection has not yet been proven to reduce mortality, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, the most significant risk factors for developing |
| 14 | lung cancer are cigarette smoking and other tobacco consumption, |
| 15 | with more than 87 percent of all lung cancer deaths attributed |
| 16 | to smoking tobacco products, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, health costs for lung cancer and other smoking- |
| 18 | related diseases in Florida are estimated at $6.32 billion, with |
| 19 | $1.2 billion in state Medicaid costs, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, established comprehensive tobacco-prevention |
| 21 | programs in other states have resulted in significant declines |
| 22 | in state health care costs and other smoking-caused expenditures |
| 23 | and have prevented thousands of people from suffering from a |
| 24 | wide range of smoking-related illnesses, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, nearly 50,000 deaths in the United States each |
| 26 | year from lung cancer and heart disease are attributed to |
| 27 | second-hand smoke exposure, and |
| 28 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society, in partnership with |
| 29 | the Florida Department of Health, helps smokers quit through the |
| 30 | proven cessation support of the Florida Quit-For-Life-Line, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, the Florida Division of the American Cancer |
| 32 | Society is committed to fighting lung cancer through all |
| 33 | scientifically proven methods, including the comprehensive |
| 34 | statewide youth tobacco prevention and cessation program |
| 35 | recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and |
| 36 | Prevention, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 37 |
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| 38 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 39 | Florida: |
| 40 |
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| 41 | That the month of November 2011 is designated as "Lung |
| 42 | Cancer Awareness Month" in the State of Florida, and all |
| 43 | Floridians are urged to understand and take steps to minimize |
| 44 | lung cancer risks and to join the American Cancer Society in |
| 45 | promoting better health through the cessation of current smoking |
| 46 | and prevention of future tobacco use. |