Prevention Task Force

Prevention

GOAL: Prevent cancer by reducing exposure to risk factors.

Our Cancer Prevention Task Force brings together partners working to decrease the number of preventable cancers in Nevada through policy and environmental changes that serve to protect people in workplaces, homes and schools, and increase educational awareness about lifestyle choices that can help prevent cancer.

Prevention Objectives: 

• Increase completion of the HPV vaccination series among Nevada youth. 
• Decrease adult and youth smoking/vaping; decreasing youth initiation of smoking/vaping; decreasing exposure to secondhand smoke. Details are outlined in the 2019 - 2023 Nevada Tobacco Control Plan. 
• Reduce the obesity rate in children and maintaining the obesity rate in adults.
• Decrease exposure to elevated levels of radon.
• Reduce the incidence of skin cancer.

Staff Lead:

Christine Thompson, Cancer Prevention Programs Manager christine@nevadacancercoalition.org

Meeting Schedule:

Prevention Task Force meets four times per year in February, April, August and November on the 2nd Thursday of the month, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Lung Cancer Collaborative meets quarterly in March, June, September (1st Wednesday) and December on the second Wednesday of each month from 8:30 - 10 a.m.

Task Force and Collaborative Resources:

Prevention Task Force Resources

Task Force Accomplishments:

• In 2015, an early iteration of the task force helped to launch Sun Smart Nevada and Sun Sun Smart Schools, a statewide skin cancer prevention and sun safety program.
• In 2019 the task force worked for passage of SB 159 in the Nevada Legislature requiring a sun safety policy for schools and districts, allowing for sunscreen and sun protective clothing and sunglasses in schools, and skin cancer prevention education.
• In August 2021 the task force succeeded in securing sun safety policies from all 17 school districts in the state.
• Supported successful tobacco and vape prevention efforts including:
  • $1 per pack tax increase on combustible cigarette sales in 2015.
  • Legislation adding e-cigarettes/vapes to the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act and taxing and regulating such products in 2019.
  • Funding for youth anti-vaping education campaigns in 2019 and 2021.

Members & Organizations: