In April, The United States Surgeon General, Steven K. Galson, made a quiet statement about the dangers of asbestos exposure in honor of National Asbestos Awareness Week. The statement was not widely publicized and did not catch the attention of major advocacy groups until the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) became aware of it in September and began publicizing it.
The statement urges Americans to become “aware of the public health issues of asbestos exposure and the steps they can take to protect their health.” It also reiterates the fact that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure and encourages the public to become aware of asbestos levels in their environment.
He noted, “Once breathed in, asbestos fibers can remain in the lungs for years and even decades. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs, changes in the lining of the chest cavity around the lung, and certain cancers.”
On September 16 the ADAO issued a press release thanking the U.S. Senate for urging the Surgeon General to make the statement. Linda Reinstein, ADAO Executive Director, commented, “As a mesothelioma widow, I am pleased to see the Surgeon General’s statement, as asbestos has been a known carcinogen for more than thirty years. ADAO is excited to be able to advance educational efforts with his statement, which strongly reaffirms the need to ban asbestos.” This statement is the first from any Surgeon General about the dangers of asbestos.
Despite heavy opposition by asbestos victims, mesothelioma lawyers, and other mesothelioma advocacy groups, asbestos is still in use in the United States. Bills banning the substance have been presented in recent Congressional Sessions, but were killed in committee.
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