State of Tobacco Control Report 2007

The American Lung Association's national State of Tobacco Control Report Card graded Maine on its success and commitment to restricting youth access to tobacco products, limiting exposure to secondhand smoke, discouraging demand through aggressive pricing policies, and funding a comprehensive prevention and treatment program.

Maine will keeps its #1 ranking nationally but grades slipped in the area of cigarette excise tax to a "B". Dropping down to a “B” score on excise tax is a warning that we need to step up our prevention efforts. Tobacco excise taxes are a critical public health measure. Cigarettes are a price sensitive commodity; for each 10 percent price increase, consumption drops by about 7 percent for youth and 4 percent for adults. The CDC reports that each pack of cigarettes sold in this country costs the economy $10.47 in direct medical costs and lost productivity. Currently, Maine’s excise tax is $2.00/pack. Raising the excise tax would provide a win-win situation: tobacco use decreases and results in healthier Maine people, which means reduced absenteeism and presenteeism and lower health care costs. We believe that the revenue from an increased excise tax should go towards alleviating the cost of health care.

Please take a moment to send the letter below to Governor Baldacci in Augusta to ask that they continue to support the Fund for a Healthy Maine Programs and increase the tobacco excise tax.

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Talking Points

We know these measures work because Maine has made significant progress since having one of the highest youth smoking rates in the country in 1997. Since then,

Adult per capita consumption has declined 29%,
Adult smoking rates are now 20%,
Youth smoking rates have dropped more than 60%.

This translates into healthier, longer lives with fewer dollars spent on health care. For example,

The drop in youth smoking rates will save over $400 million in health costs and prevent 14,000 premature deaths,
Maine's last cigarette tax increase in 2005 will save $292 million in health costs and avoid 6600 tobacco-related deaths,

Now it's up to lawmakers to keep Maine on the track to a healthier future!

Governor Baldacci and the recent Maine Legislatures have the legacy of wisely investing Maine's share of the national tobacco settlement (known as the Fund for a Healthy Maine), into programs that prevent disease and promote good health, including tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs. But as Massachusetts, Florida and Mississippi have experienced, things can quickly change for the worse.

In order to be successful in the long run, we cannot ease up for a minute – especially with the continued onslaught of tobacco industry tactics to promote their deadly products.

Please take a moment to send the letter below to your Maine State SENATOR or REPRESENTATIVE in Augusta. Ask them to support all efforts to help smokers quit and keep kids from starting. Ask them to:

Fund Maine's award winning tobacco prevention and treatment program
Support policies that limit exposure to secondhand smoke
Keep cigarette prices high to discourage demand

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

The American Lung Associations Annual Tobacco Report Card has been released. Maine gets good grades, but there's room for improvement.

Maines commitment to limiting exposure to secondhand smoke, enforcing laws that keep kids from accessing tobacco products, keeping cigarette prices high in order to reduce demand, and funding a comprehensive tobacco prevention and treatment program has made us a national leader.

Our investment is paying off. Maine has made significant progress since having one of the highest youth smoking rates in the country in 1997.  Since then, youth smoking rates have dropped by 60%, the number of cigarettes being consumed is down by 28%, and adult smoking rates have fallen to 20%.

But we still lose too many lives and spend too much money on health care because of tobacco use.  Each year, Maine spends over $600 million on direct health care costs, and most importantly, loses 2400 citizens each year to tobacco, including 200 who die as a result of others? smoking.  Half who die are between the ages of 35 and 62 -- cut down in their most productive years.

We cannot ease up for a minute, especially with the tobacco industry spending $67 million a year in Maine promoting their deadly products.

The key to long-term success and a healthier Maine will be to maintain our commitment to funding our award winning tobacco prevention and treatment program in the Fund for a Healthy Maine, supporting policies that limit exposure to secondhand smoke, and keeping cigarette prices high in order to discourage demand.

Please take on Maines #1 killer by supporting all efforts to help smokers quit and keep kids from starting.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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Governor John Baldacci (if you live in Maine)
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