National Report: Maine Ranks 6th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maine ranks 6th in the nation in funding programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080918/CFTFKLOGO) Maine currently spends $9.4 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 50.6 percent of the $18.5 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Maine include: The annual report on states' funding of tobacco prevention programs, titled "A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 13 Years Later," was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. Maine has been a leader in the fight against tobacco with a high cigarette tax ($2.00 per pack), a strong smoke-free workplace law and its tobacco prevention and cessation program. However, the state has reduced funding for tobacco prevention in recent years and is now spending just half of what the CDC recommends. "Maine continues to make solid progress in the fight against tobacco, but it can do even better by increasing funding for programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Even in these difficult budget times, tobacco prevention is a smart investment for Maine that will protect kids, save lives and save money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs." In Maine, 18.1 percent of high school students smoke, and 1,500 more kids become regular smokers each year. Tobacco annually claims 2,200 lives and costs the state $602 million in health care bills. Nationally, the report finds that most states are failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Altogether, the states have cut funding for these programs to the lowest level since 1999, when they first started receiving tobacco settlement payments. Key national findings of the report include: The report warns that the nation's progress in reducing smoking is at risk unless states increase funding for programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. The United States has significantly reduced smoking among both youth and adults, but 19.3 percent of adults and 19.5 percent of high school students still smoke. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. More information, including the full report and state-specific information, can be obtained at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/settlements SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
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