The use of tobacco tax revenues to fund the Guam Cancer Registry: A double win for cancer control

• Published in: Journal of cancer policy 2017-06, Vol.12, p.34-35
• Main Authors: David, Annette M., Haddock, Robert L., Bordallo, Renata, Dirige, Janet T., Mery, Les
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cancer; Registries; Sustainable financing; Tobacco; Tobacco taxes
• ISSN: 2213-5383; 2213-5383
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2017.03.006

•Cancer registries that provide reliable data are essential to cancer control.•Sustainable funding to support cancer registries remains a challenge in many countries.•In Guam, a percentage of tobacco tax revenues is earmarked for the Cancer Registry.•Using tobacco tax revenues to fund a cancer registry ensures the registry’s viability. Cancer registries that provide reliable data on cancer incidence, mortality and burden are essential to cancer control. However, establishing sustainable local funding mechanisms to support cancer registries remains a challenge in many countries. Guam, an unincorporated Territory of the United States of America in the Western Pacific, enacted a bill that raised tobacco taxes, and earmarked a percentage of tobacco tax revenues to support its Cancer Registry. This provided a reliable funding stream for the Registry, allowing for continued staffing and capacity building; at the same time, youth tobacco consumption decreased following the tax increase. Linking tobacco tax revenues to cancer registry support is a feasible strategy with a double benefit: higher tobacco prices from higher tobacco taxes reduce tobacco-related cancer risk while assuring the long-term viability of systematic cancer data collection and dissemination.