Maine hasn’t won the war on smoking, only made progress

Once again, Maine has distinguished itself from the rest of the nation in earning straight A’s on the American Lung Association’s annual tobacco-control report card. This is the second consecutive year Maine has earned such an outstanding score, and the only state ever to earn such grades across the board.

The report card ranks a state’s tobacco-control efforts four ways: smoke-free air, tobacco-prevention spending, cigarette taxes and restricting youth access to tobacco.

New England got decent grades overall compared to the rest of the nation, but every other New England state except Vermont received at least one failing grade. Neighboring New Hampshire received two F grades and a D.

Public policy impatience, scarce funds and spotty public motivation sometimes make it tough to score clear-cut victories for public health. Maine’s standout showing is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our state’s past and present elected leaders and an outstanding partnership of organizations and individuals focused on reducing the terrible toll tobacco takes in disease and death among Maine people.

Progress in the fight against tobacco use is making a difference in the health of Maine children and adults. Officials estimate that seven Maine people die every day from using tobacco. That’s more than 2,400 people a year claimed by cancer, emphysema, circulatory disease and other illnesses caused by tobacco use. Maine’s progress will pay lasting dividends in reduced health care costs and higher quality of life for all Maine people.

Maine’s high marks translate into fewer teenagers taking up smoking; smoke-free air in restaurants, bars and most other work and public places; and an ongoing commitment to provide tobacco users the encouragement and support to triumph over nicotine addiction.

This achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of former Gov. Angus King, Gov. John Baldacci, Attorney General Steven Rowe, leaders and members of the Legislature, and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Maine’s elected officials did what few politicians have done across the country. They have used settlement money won in litigation against the big tobacco companies as intended – to reduce and control tobacco use.

Despite severe budget pressures here in Maine, our elected representatives stayed true to the purpose of the tobacco settlement. They deserve credit for staying focused on the goal, and the results.

But today’s glowing report card can easily turn into tomorrow’s mediocre grades.

The organized fight against tobacco use in Maine has been ongoing for more than two decades. The American Lung Association of Maine is proud to be one of the leaders of an unprecedented coalition of organizations and individuals – the Maine Coalition on Smoking or Health – which has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years on tobacco prevention and control.

The coalition’s focus on statewide policy change, in turn, would have been impossible without the efforts of its members, including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Maine Medical Association and Maine Hospital Association. The coalition has been a steady presence in the State House to ensure adequate funding is allocated for the tobacco control program and to support efforts to prevent the underage purchase of tobacco, and supports increasing taxes on tobacco products to reflect the tremendous cost of tobacco on our health care system.

The results speak for themselves. Adult per-capita consumption of cigarettes declined more than 28 percent from 1997 to 2004. Maine’s adult smoking rate has fallen from 27 percent in 1990 to 21 percent today. The rate of smoking among pregnant MaineCare recipients, once the highest in the nation, has fallen by 27 percent since 1997. And the rate of smoking among Maine high school students is now 16 percent, a drop of 60 percent since 1997.

But the work doesn’t stop with this report card. The tobacco industry spends $74 million each year in Maine trying to get more people to become addicted to nicotine. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to marketing ploys and peer pressure.

The best way to fight the death and disease that come with tobacco addiction is to discourage young people from starting, and to help smokers quit. That struggle will require continued support and commitment from citizens and legislators.

We can’t just declare victory and go home. We are home, and so is the enemy: those fruit-flavored tobacco products on the store shelves. Maine’s straight A’s are a legitimate source of pride – and motivation to keep fighting.

Mark Ishkanian is director of communications at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and president-elect of the American Lung Association of Maine.