Elections 2014: Cancer, an election issue - Launch of the Canadian Cancer Society's election microsite and questionnaire

MONTREAL, March 6, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - For each day that goes by, the situation gets worse: 90 youths let tobacco enter their lives and 28 smokers die from smoking-related diseases. Every day, 55 people die of cancer and very few among them will receive palliative care. What are the positions of the political parties on the leading cause of death in Quebec?

As part of the election campaign, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) – Quebec Division sent a questionnaire to all registered political parties to find out their positions on the fight against cancer. In addition, the CCS launched the election microsite passezalaction.cancer.ca to give a voice to citizens who want to question their candidates on this important health issue.

In Quebec, for each smoker who quits, a youth picks up the habit at an average age of 12.5 years. The Tobacco Act has not been amended for nearly nine years now. In the meanwhile, the tobacco industry has developed a host of new products to appeal to youths, with impunity. As far as the CCS is concerned, political parties must take a stand to speedily amend the Tobacco Act and protect youths from the tobacco industry.

Access to palliative care must also be a part of political parties' election promises so that all Quebecers in need have access to it at the place of their choice. In areas where palliative care is readily available, hardly one in two people benefit from it. In places where palliative care is scarcer, only one in five can receive it. Not only does palliative care enhance the quality of life, but it also extends a patient's life and helps keep treatment costs down (fewer emergency room visits, fewer hospital bed days). Access to palliative care is a minimum that all Quebecers should have a right to, no matter what their postal code or place of death.

"During the length of the election campaign, 4,670 Quebecers will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,925 will die from it. Political parties must make the fight against cancer a priority issue to save more lives," says Sylvie Poissant, Acting Executive Director, CCS – Quebec Division.

Cancer by the numbers:

• 50% of cancer-related pain is not treated.
• 80% of cancer patients would like to die at home, but only a small fraction – 10% – can.
• Tobacco is responsible for 30% of all cancers.
• Quebec still has 1.6 million smokers.

Every day, the Canadian Cancer Society works to save more lives. We have been relentless in our commitment to prevent cancer, fund research, and support people touched by the disease. For 75 years, our goal has remained unchanged: do more so that fewer of us have to face cancer and more survive. Let's save more lives: visit cancer.ca or call our Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

SOURCE: Canadian Cancer Society, Quebec Division

André Beaulieu; Spokesperson and Senior Advisor, Communications; Canadian Cancer Society - Quebec Division; [email protected]; Phone: [phone]