Maine aces tobacco prevention

The American Lung Association recently released its Tobacco Control 2006 Report, which graded all states on smoke-free air, tobacco taxes, prevention funding and restrictions on youth access to tobacco products. For the second year in a row, Maine has scored straight As on the American Lung Association’s tobacco control report card.
    This high ranking is no accident. Through a concerted effort, Maine has reduced teenage smoking by 60 percent since 1997, when the state had one of the highest youth smoking rates in the country. Last year, Maine had the distinction of being the only state to get the straight-A ranking. The state now leads the nation in smoke free air, prevention and effective use of tobacco settlement money.
The state has worked hard to reverse its poor ranking of years past. A multi-faceted strategy of adopting laws that protect residents from second-hand smoke, increasing cigarette taxes to discourage smoking and funding programs that help smokers quit has proved successful in taking Maine from the back of the pack to a leader in anti-smoking efforts. The state now stands as a model to other states.
In recent years, the Legislature has enacted comprehensive laws that now ban smoking in all workplaces, including most recently, in restaurants and bars. Stricter laws have also been enacted that prohibit smoking at day cares and restrict minors from entering tobacco specialty shops without a parent or guardian.
For those seeking to kick the tobacco habit, the Maine Tobacco Help Line started counseling services in 2001 and since then has helped increasing numbers of people quit yearly. The Legislature continues to approve funding to this program each year.
While Maine has achieved much, there is still more we can do to ensure we stay a leader in anti-smoking efforts. Tobacco-related diseases each year claim the lives of 2,400 Mainers, 200 of whom are non-smokers. Tobacco-related health problems also cost the state’s MaineCare over $600 million each year. Maine has become a leader in anti-smoking efforts, but we must remain vigilant to make sure that we stay ahead of other states. This is important not only to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year, but to protect young people from the deadly effects of tobacco products.