Pride Month – June 2022

June is Pride Month!

This Pride Month, we at the Prevent Cancer Foundation recommit to ensuring everyone can access preventive services and essential care. We recognize that the LGBTQ+ community faces unique barriers when accessing the health care system, which results in disparities in cancer risk, screening and treatment. Explore below to learn how the Foundation is remaining committed to increasing education and action amongst this population:

2022 Prevent Cancer Advocacy Workshop

To raise awareness and increase education and action among patient advocacy groups we brought together LGBTQ+ community and health experts for our 2022 Advocacy Workshop to discuss what needs to change.

Our speakers shared numerous resources for developing standards for cultural competency, promoting inclusivity, practicing patient-centered care, as well as information about LGBTQ+ cancer survivor support groups.

A Pride Month message from Cheryl Greene, spouse of U.S. Rep. Angie Craig

Tobacco industry targets LGBTQ+ community – make your voice heard

Approximately three out of every 10 sexual and gender minorities (SGM) currently use commercial (versus ceremonial) tobacco products. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer and is linked to several other types of cancer and other serious diseases.

The burden of addictive tobacco use in SGM communities is not often prioritized, yet with an estimated 3.3 million adult tobacco users, this represents one of the largest health risks to the SGM population and a disproportionate cancer impact.

Menthol enhances the effects of nicotine and masks the harshness of tobacco, making cigarettes more addictive, easier for kids to begin smoking and harder for smokers to quit. It disproportionally harms the health of Black, SGM and other communities.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products recently proposed two product standards: one that would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and another that would prohibit characterizing flavors (other than tobacco) in all cigars.

Due to the serious impact these rules have on our nation’s health, the FDA has an obligation to finalize and implement them with urgency. The faster these rules are implemented, the faster we can stop the tobacco industry’s lethal targeting of Black, sexual and gender minority, and other communities, and the more lives will be saved. The deadline to submit comments on these rules is July 5.

If you would like to submit a written comment, please visit the Federal Register Notice for the “Tobacco Product Standard for Menthol in Cigarettes” or for the “Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars.”