JOAN BARRON

CHEYENNE - Wyoming has made considerable progress in its policies on cancer screening. But there still is more to do.

Topping the list for the American Cancer Society is a statewide smoking ban.

A progress report on state legislative actions to reduce cancer incidence and mortality said Wyoming met the benchmark on only one out of six issues measured.

Developed by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in collaboration with its nonprofit partner charitable organization, the American Cancer Society, the report used color coding to rate the states. Wyoming's pain management program got a green grade. The top.

The program is part of the Wyoming Cancer Control Act adopted by the 2007 Legislature.

The state's breast and cervical cancer early detection and the colorectal screening programs and tobacco taxes got yellow codes. State policies on the uninsured and smoke-free laws drew red, the worst rating.

The Legislature has not passed a bill to ban smoking in public places. Nor have the lawmakers been able to deal effectively with the problem of thousands of residents who have no health insurance.

In 2008, meanwhile, 2,570 people in Wyoming will be diagnosed with cancer and another 990 will die of the disease, the report said.

Loretta Wolf, Government Relations Director in Wyoming for the American Cancer Society, said the two screening programs for colorectal, breast and cervical are having an impact, but may need tweaking.

"If you're going to fight cancer and improve the health of the citizens in the State of Wyoming, the best things you could do would be to increase the tax on tobacco, fully fund the tobacco prevention programs and pass a statewide smoke-free law," Wolf said.

"We would love to see that happen this year and we're going to work really hard," she added.

A statewide smoking ban, or as it is also called, a clean indoor air bill, failed to pass the introductory vote in the legislative session this past winter, she said, because the lawmakers didn't want to deal with it in the budget session. This time, supporters hope the bill can be sponsored by the Legislature's Labor, Health and Social Services Committee to give it more steam.

Wyoming, meanwhile, is now surrounded by smoke-free states.

The Legislature, Wolf said, could look again at the tax on cigarettes, given that Wyoming's tax is 60 cents per pack compared to the national average of $1.12.

The state has some great tobacco cessation programs, she said, and the Legislature's Revenue Committee is looking at higher taxes on other tobacco products.

The Legislature last winter also passed a bill to require insurance companies to cover the costs of three of four phases of clinical trials for treatment of cancer. The insurance companies dropped their opposition to the bill in exchange for an exemption from paying for the first phase.

Wolf credited the bill's success to strong lobbying by a group of cancer patients and survivors.

"I have always thought legislators have a warm heart for people and if something can be of benefit without skyrocketing costs, they will support it," she said. "We've got the facts and we've got the people."

Back to that pain management program that drew a stellar grade. Wolf said there are groups through the cancer consortium working with law enforcement on recommendations.

The group wants to have appropriate protections but also be sure physicians aren't so intimidated they are hesitant to write prescriptions to properly treat patients with pain-related cancer.

"No one should have to suffer from cancer," Wolf said.

Contact Joan Barron at joan.barron@trib.com or by phone at 307-632-1244.