Cancer Prevention Lags in Michigan

Michigan is falling short in its efforts to prevent cancer by failing to do such things as imposing limits on tanning booths and providing state funding for early screening of cancer. That’s according to a report released this week by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. The complaints come from a report on all the states and legislative activity to help prevent cancer. The report gives Michigan high marks for its smoke-free laws and the tax rate charged for cigarettes. It also gives Michigan high marks for increasing access to Medicaid through the expanded eligibility program Healthy Michigan. But the report gives failing marks to the state for not requiring physical education in schools, for not imposing greater restrictions on tanning and for not providing funding for early breast, cervical and colon cancer screenings. The state Legislature ended funding for the cancer prevention program in an earlier version of Healthy Michigan.