Report Calls on Maine to Renew Its Commitment to Eliminate Tobacco-Caused Death and Disease

American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014 Report Calls on Maine to Renew Its Commitment to Eliminate Tobacco-Caused Death and Disease  (AUGUSTA, ME) – Maine is failing to adequately fund programs that keep kids from starting to smoke and help smokers quit, according to the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014 report released today. However, Maine remains as one of the only states to not receive any failing grades. Less than a week after the release of the 50th anniversary U.S. Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health, State of Tobacco Control 2014 issues an urgent call to action to policymakers across the country to reverse their present course and commit to eliminating tobacco-caused death and disease.  The latest Surgeon General’s report warns 5.6 million of today’s youth will die from tobacco use unless swift action is taken.

 

“Maine’s report card on tobacco control is not one any parent will be proudly hanging on their refrigerator,” said Matt Sturgis, Leadership Board Chair for the American Lung Association in Maine. “Just eight short years ago, Maine was the only state in the nation to receive straight A’s. Since that time, our state is continuously failing to invest in vital resources that help keep kids from starting to smoke and provide smokers with the tools they so desperately need to quit. Meanwhile, Big Tobacco continues to rob Mainers of their health and employ clever tactics to lure new youth smokers.”

 

Maine received the following grades for 2013:

 

Tobacco Prevention Control and Spending	D
Smokefree Air	A
Cigarette Tax	C
Cessation	D

 

The failure of the federal and state governments to implement proven policies resulted in 20 million preventable deaths from tobacco use from 1964-2014, including 2.5 million from secondhand smoke.  The 2014 Surgeon General’s report found that almost half a million lives are unnecessarily lost each year due to tobacco, as well as $280 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity. 

 

The Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014, its 12th annual report, tracks yearly progress on key tobacco control policies at the federal and state level, assigning grades based on whether laws are adequately protecting citizens from the enormous toll tobacco use takes on lives and the economy.  Tobacco-related diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other cancers, heart disease and stroke kill almost half a million Americans each year.

 

“With Friday’s release of the 50th anniversary Surgeon General’s report on Smoking and Health, Acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Admiral (RADM) Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H declared "enough is enough" and that we must do more if we are going to protect Americans from the burden of tobacco use,” said Jeff Seyler, President & CEO of the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “Smoking is responsible for almost 500,000 deaths in this country annually and our state leaders must act now so that we may prevent more Americans from getting sick and dying from tobacco-related disease. The battle against the tobacco epidemic is not over.”

 

Tobacco causes an estimated 2,235 deaths in Maine annually and costs the state’s economy $1 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity, a tremendous burden that our state can ill afford.

 

For Maine, 2013 was another missed opportunity to put in place proven policies to reduce tobacco use and save lives, including providing comprehensive cessation benefit coverage, higher tobacco taxes and adequately funded tobacco use prevention and quit smoking programs. 

 

Priorities that must be addressed to improve Maine’s State of Tobacco Control© grades in 2014 include:

• expanding funding for state tobacco prevention and cessation programs,
• increasing the cigarette tax by at least one dollar,
• providing comprehensive cessation benefit coverage to all Mainers,
• and taxing all tobacco products at equal rates.

“Comprehensive smokefree laws, high tobacco taxes, funding tobacco prevention and quit smoking programs at recommended levels and providing insurance coverage that includes cessation treatments have all been proven to reduce tobacco use. All that is missing in Maine is the political will from our elected officials,” continued Sturgis.

 

Meanwhile, the tobacco industry continued its ruthless pursuit of addicting new users and keeping current users from quitting in 2013. This included efforts at the federal and state levels to exempt their products from meaningful public health protections.

 

The three largest cigarette manufacturers—Altria, Reynolds American, and Lorillard—continued their aggressive expansion into other tobacco products in 2013. As cigarette use continues to gradually decline, these companies continue to maintain their power over America’s youth and reap profits from smokeless tobacco, cigars and now e-cigarettes.

 

“We urge everyone in Maine to join with the American Lung Association in renewing their commitment to preventing another 50 years of tobacco-caused death, disease and avoidable healthcare expense,” continued Seyler.