To the Editor:

None of the goals and objectives of the draft 2011-2016 NYS Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan address pollutant carcinogen exposure reduction. The only matters of chemical carcinogenesis addressed in the Draft Cancer Plan are exposure to cigarette smoke and radon.

The Draft Cancer Plan merely promulgates the corporate position that exposure to pollution is not a source of cancer causation. This corporate position has no scientific basis.

Corporations in the chemicals, agricultural, mining and manufacturing sectors of the economy seek to misinform the public regarding pollutant exposure cancer risk so as to continue to avoid responsibility for the cancers caused by the chemicals that they release into the environment as pollutant discharges and that they have used and continue to use in pursuit of their commercial activities.

A vast body of scientific knowledge exists on the subject of pollutant exposure carcinogenesis. The current scientific knowledge is sufficient to support the publication of cancer hazard advisories for numerous chemical carcinogens.

The state Department of Health was created by state government for the purpose of protecting public health. The DOH is responsible for providing warnings of the existence of avoidable health hazards to state residents.

The DOH has failed to publish and disseminate cancer hazard advisories despite the existence of the scientific knowledge that supports such action. The Draft Cancer Plan is an example of bad corporate behavior and bad government behavior. It should be rejected by the people of this state.

The plan demonstrates the lack of integrity and honor that exists in those employees of the DOH and the American Cancer Society who are responsible for the content of the draft document.

Mark Cronin, an employee of the American Cancer Society and chair of the New York State Cancer Consortium Steering Committee and Leslie Larsen, an employee of the DOH and Director of the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Program are two of the people most responsible for the content of the Draft Cancer Plan.

These two individuals should be held accountable for their decision not to make use of existing scientific knowledge on the subject of pollutant carcinogen exposure cancer risk in the creation of the Draft Cancer Plan.

If the Draft Plan had been created by people who were committed to the use of scientific knowledge to prevent cancer, the document would have included cancer hazard advisories for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), carcinogenic metals and emissions from combustion of fossil fuels.

The total lack of content on the subject of pollutant carcinogen exposure reduction is a public health outrage. Mr. Cronin and Ms. Larsen should be held accountable for their deliberate efforts to deceive the public concerning matters of public health protection and cancer risk.

Ms. Larsen should be charged with deliberate misuse of her position as an employee of the DOH. Her employment with the agency should be terminated immediately.

Cancer Action NY strongly protests the lack of content on the subject of pollutant carcinogen exposure reduction in the Draft 2011-2016 NYS Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan.

We will endeavor to make the people aware of the failure of the DOH and the American Cancer Society to produce a Draft Cancer Plan that uses scientific knowledge to reduce cancer risk imposed by exposure to pollutant carcinogens.

2011 is the 40-year anniversary of the War on Cancer. On this date, June 4, 2011, we declare war on the state DOH and the American Cancer Society and all of their evil corporate allies.

A list of the goals of the Draft Cancer Plan and a list of the objectives associated with the Health Promotion and Prevention goal of the Draft Cancer Plan are available here: http://preventcancernow.wordpress.com

Donald L. Hassig, Director

Cancer Action NY

Colton