2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FOUR - Health and Sanitation (§§ 1 — 15010) › PART II - Disease Control (§§ 351 — 697) › Chapter 26 - Comprehensive Cancer Control (§§ 417 — 427) › § 419 - Declaration of public policy

The public policy for Comprehensive Cancer Control in Puerto Rico provided in this chapter shall encompass six (6) broad areas and shall be set forth as follows:
Prevention comprises the mindset of and the activities carried out by individuals and communities to promote healthy lifestyles and behavioral changes. It shall be the public policy of the Government of Puerto Rico to aid in reducing cancer rates through the implementation or modification of policies that eliminate behaviors, lifestyles, and risk factors that contribute to cancer development, by complying with the following policies:
(1) Use of tobacco by-products.—
(a) To discourage the use of tobacco by-products among Puerto Ricans, especially minors, through effective promotion to show citizens the harmful health effects of smoking.
(b) To periodically review the excise tax on all tobacco by-products in order to make recommendations for the modification thereof and to allocate a portion of said excise tax to smoking prevention and cessation programs, as well as programs that provide treatment for tobacco-related cancer.
(c) To oversee the strictest compliance with the public policy on regulating smoking in public and private places and, to the extent necessary, broaden its scope to minimize the impact of second-hand smoke on our population.
(d) To promote smoking cessation through government programs such as the Puerto Rico Quitline of the Department of Health and through interventions with health care providers trained in smoking cessation.
(e) To encourage health care providers to advise their patients on strategies to quit smoking and educate them about the negative health effects of smoking.
(f) To reduce the costs related to smoking cessation by providing greater coverage under health care plans and health insurance.
(2) Alcohol consumption.—
(a) To discourage the use of alcoholic beverages among Puerto Ricans, specially minors, through effective promotion that shows citizens the harmful health effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
(b) To develop, implement, disseminate, and evaluate counseling programs for persons with alcohol problems.
(c) To promote a reduction in exposure to alcohol products in the media and in general advertising.
(d) To periodically review the excise tax on all alcoholic beverages in order to make recommendations for the modification thereof and allocate a portion of said excise tax to alcohol abuse prevention programs, especially among minors, as well as programs that provide patient treatment for alcohol-related cancer.
(3) Nutrition and a healthy diet.—
(a) To promote the consumption of food with high nutritional value and low in fat and calories, as well as the consumption of fruits and vegetables among Puerto Ricans, especially children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
(b) To oversee the strictest compliance with any of the public policies requiring fast food chains and restaurants to provide consumers with the nutritional value information of their products, as well as promote healthier food choices among the citizenry through programs such as Salud Recomienda.
(c) To encourage health plans and health insurance to include licensed nutritionist and dietician counseling as part of the coverage offered to their insured and beneficiaries.
(d) To promote high quality school education on the topics of nutrition and healthy foods.
(e) To discourage the sale of unhealthy food in vending machines and promote food of high nutritional value for consumers, especially in the schools of the Island.
(4) Physical activity and weight control.—
(a) To support physical activity and weight maintenance programs for our citizenry, particularly in schools and the workplace.
(b) To promote the benefits of physical activity and adequate weight maintenance and how it can help prevent cancer through educational campaigns aimed at the citizenry.
(c) To encourage communities to have spaces for physical activities and fitness.
(5) Immunization.—
(a) To promote Immunization against infectious diseases that have been proven to pose a risk for developing cancer, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis V vaccines, as well as any other that could be developed in the future.
(b) To the extent that Government resources allow, to provide these immunizations whether for free or at an accessible cost for low-income citizens or persons who do not have health insurance coverage.
(c) To promote that these vaccines are included as part of the coverage provided by private health plans and health insurance.
(6) Environmental factors.—
(a) To promote and collaborate in the analysis and research of those human and industrial activities that could pose a risk of developing cancer.
(b) To encourage the pertinent public instrumentalities to correct or impose the corresponding sanction in the deviation or violation of the established environmental standards in an effort to prevent any harmful environmental exposure that could affect public health.
History —Apr. 8, 2011, No. 49, § 5.1.