The country's leading cancer organizations reported some good news last week: Both the rate of new cancer cases and the rate of deaths from different types of cancer are dropping in the U.S.

The report, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society and other anti-cancer groups, shows cancer killed 1.8 percent fewer people each year from 2002 to 2005.

More good news: California, considered to have among the country's strongest and most comprehensive tobacco control policies, is leading the country in reducing lung cancer deaths.

That shows that smoking bans and anti-tobacco education do work. The success in California should spur Alaska officials to support stricter smoking bans and more education as well.

Alaska is making progress, just not as much as we could be. Our adult smoking rate has dropped 20 percent since 1996, and among youths, the smoking rate dropped by half.

Cases of lung cancer and lung cancer death rates for Alaska men are declining at a good clip. With these declines, we rank well among the states.

But Alaska women's lung cancer rates and death rates are high compared to other states. We ranked eighth highest with about 63 cases of lung cancer per 100,000 Alaska women.

Alaska Natives and American Indians also get lung cancer at a higher rate than white Alaskans, or than the U.S. average. Lung cancer is the deadliest of the cancers. Because smoking dramatically increases the odds of getting lung cancer, it's a cancer that can be beaten back with laws, taxes and public education.

Alaska does well with taxes -- both Anchorage and the state impose stiff taxes on cigarettes.

But we need better state laws and more anti-tobacco education. There's no statewide ban on smoking in private workplaces and public places like restaurants. There should be. This is the first year Alaska reached the budget level for anti-tobacco programs recommended by the CDC.

The annual report from the cancer organizations should put the state on notice -- people are dying in Alaska who needn't be.

BOTTOM LINE: Alaska has been improving anti-cancer programs but needs tougher laws to discourage smoking.

In the event of a tie

Up north, Republican Mike Kelly held his one-vote lead over Democrat Karl Kassel to represent House District 7, the North Pole area.

The Division of Elections will count again. Assuming all the ballots remain qualified, there can't be a tie. That's because the vote total was 10,035 -- an uneven number. On Tuesday, Kelly had 5,018 votes to Kassel's 5,017.

But what if in the recount a ballot gets tossed? What if there's an even number and the candidates split 50-50?

State law says a coin toss will settle the deal.

That's no way to break a tie.

Toss a coin to decide who kicks off and who receives in a football game, or whether it's sausage or pepperoni tonight, but not who represents thousands of citizens in the state House of Representatives.

Toss a coin in this case only to decide who goes first in a contest of knowledge or skill, and let the winner be the candidate who prevails on the merits, not by chance.

Alaska history, anyone?

Think of the high profile this would give study of the home state. Telecast statewide, the candidates would answer an hour's worth of questions. Viewers could see how they stacked up. Watch at home, on the tube or online.

A sampler:

1) Name the nine people who have served as governor of Alaska since statehood.

2) What year did the first oil flow down the trans-Alaska oil pipeline?

3) Which Alaska Native people created the baidarka?

4) In what year did Rick Swenson win his fifth Iditarod championship?

5) Who was Katie John?

6) Special bonus round double-header question (respondent must get both parts right): How much did William Seward pay Russia to buy Alaska in 1867? What was the capital of Alaska when he bought it?

Answers below. If the spirit moves, pick six of your own and send them on.

-- Frank Gerjevic