Partnership for a Tobacco-free Maine

succcess story post thubnail

Submission Date: December 2009

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: Maine

States/Territories Involved: Maine

Domain Addressed:

Environmental Approaches

Public Health Issue:

  • One-third of tobacco users age 18 years or younger will die early of a tobacco-related disease.
  • Maine had one of the highest rates of smoking in the nation among young adults in 1996 atĀ 34%.
  • Aggressive and comprehensive tobacco control programs produce substantial declines in rateĀ of cigarette use.

Program Action:

  • The Partnership For a Tobacco-Free Maine is the state program developed using CDCā€™s best practice recommendations for comprehensive state tobacco prevention and control programs.
  • The program, established in 1997 by the Maine legislature, includes these components: 1)funding for 31 Healthy Maine Partnerships which are community and school initiatives to reduce tobacco use and tobacco related disease; 2) a statewide counter-marketing initiative; 3) statewide tobacco treatment services including the Maine Tobacco HelpLine; 4) enforcement of tobacco laws that reduce youth access to tobacco products and protect the public from secondhand smoke; 5) a statewide network of youth advocacy programs, partnerships with other state-level chronic disease programs, and surveillance and evaluation.
  • 31 local Healthy Maine Partnership grantees are using policy and environmental change strategies to reduce tobacco use, while also increasing physical activity and improving nutrition at local schools, work sites, hospitals, recreation facilities and community sites.

Impact/Accomplishments:

Partnership results for the first eight years are:

  • Smoking rates of high school students dropped by more than half.
  • Consumption of cigarettes dropped from 101 packs to 72 packs per capita.
  • State cigarette excise tax increased from 74 cents to $2 per pack.
  • Maine smoking rates have declined and are now in line with the national average rather thanĀ above it.
  • Maine has had more adults reporting they are former smokers than any other state.
  • Maine is smoke-free in all public places and indoor workplaces including workplace vehicles.

Program Areas:

Tobacco

State Contact Information:

ME
MaryBeth T. Welton
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
207-287-5381
marybeth.t.welton@maine.gov

<< Back to All Success Stories