Monday, May 4 marks the annual “Melanoma Monday,” an awareness day created by the American Academy of Dermatologists to promote early detection and prevention for melanoma and other types of skin cancer. The day also helps to kick off Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, recognized nationally each May.
The Call for Abstracts for the 2015 Nevada Cancer Control Summit Poster Session is now open, with abstracts due Aug. 28 for the Sept. 17-18 summit dates.
In 2013 Nevada was successful in becoming the 4th state to pass tanning legislation that prohibits minors under 18 from using indoor tanning devices. While this was a win for our state and set us in the lead for the nation in recognizing the dangers of indoor tanning for youth, more than 100 tanning salon locations are still in business within the state. Despite numerous studies and rulings that use of indoor tanning devices are carcinogenic and harmful to one's health, the tanning industry continues to perpetuate misconceptions and myths about indoor tanning to keep their industry alive.
With March’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month fast approaching, health professionals throughout the state are challenging Nevadans to get screened for colon cancer. The disease is the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women in Nevada and nationwide, but with proper screening and early detection the risk of dying from colon cancer can be reduced by up to 70 percent.
The following is a press release from our partners at Southern Nevada Health District:
The Southern Nevada Health District today has issued a health advisory regarding electronic cigarettes in response to an increase in their use across the United States and in Clark County. The Health District encourages policymakers, health care providers, parents, and e-cigarette users to educate themselves regarding the harmful chemicals in these products and to limit their availability in the community.
Three new members joined the Nevada Cancer Coalition board of directors effective Jan. 1, 2015, rounding out the list of members and officers to 13. The new members include: Dr. Anu Thummala, Lisa Dettling, and Stacey Escalante.
At NCC, our strength is in our partners.
January is National Radon Action Month, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering educational presentations at various locations across the state. Free test kits for homes will also be available at the presentations.
The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids released a national report this week challenging states to step up their tobacco prevention and cessation funding to reduce tobacco use by youth. According to the report, Nevada ranks 42nd in funding programs, spending just $1 million per year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs which is just 3.3% of what the CDC recommends, and just 0.7% of the total revenue the state earns from the tobacco MSA funds and tobacco taxes.
Between the Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday shopping, an important bit of Executive Branch news flew under the radar last week. After being passed earlier in the year by both the House and the Senate, President Obama signed the Sunscreen Innovation Act into law on Nov. 29. The law is intended to clear the more than decade-long backlog of sunscreen ingredients awaiting FDA approval. Some ingredients awaiting this approval are more effective at blocking UVA rays from the sun, and most have been in use in Europe for years.