TOPICS > Tobacco
Facts About Tobacco
What is the tobacco problem in Maine?
Tobacco use is the single greatest preventable cause of death and disease in Maine, accounting annually for over 2,100 deaths (one out of every six) and about 9300 hospitalizations. Smoking costs our state $554 million annually in direct health care costs alone.
In Maine, each year smoking causes:
- 83% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- 14% of deaths from heart disease
- 80% of lung cancer deaths
- 29% of all cancer deaths
Cigarette smoking is a major cause of cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, and esophagus, and also contributes to cancers of the bladder, pancreas and kidney.
How many Maine people smoke?
Just over 1 out of every 5 Maine adults smoke -- 21%. Kentucky has the highest rate of smoking -- 27.5% -- and Utah the lowest, 10.5%. In the year 2000, 28 states had a lower smoking rate than Maine's. In 2004, that number was reduced to 21 states, so we are definitely making progress. Unfortunately, among Maine's young adults (ages 18-24) about one-third are smokers. The smoking rate for young adults remains among the highest in the nation.
What are some facts about Maine kids and tobacco?
- Maine's smoking rate for high school students has decreased from 39% to 16.2% since 1997. The rate for frequent smokers has decreased from 22% to 8%.
- Nevertheless, over 10,600 high school students still smoke, and nearly half of them are regular smokers.
- At the current rate of smoking, about 2,400 youth become new daily smokers each year, and 29,200 Maine kids now alive will eventually die prematurely from this deadly addiction.
- Nearly half of the high school students who smoke have already tried to quit and are unable to.
Why can’t people just quit?
Tobacco is a serious addiction, greater than heroin, according to Surgeon General reports and independent research. According to recent surveys, 45% of Maine high school students and 57% of adults tried unsuccessfully to quit.
Many people quit smoking with additional help from printed materials, counseling, medication, and products like the nicotine patch, gum or spray. Without treatment, only 5-10% of quitters are successful, with treatment, success can reach up to 20-40%!
Why should Mainers care whether other people smoke?
Breathing smoke from others, known as secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is harmful to the nonsmoker and is a serious public health threat. ETS is considered a Class A cancer-causing chemical, the same as asbestos! Tobacco smoke spreads quickly even if a person doesn’t sit next to it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a smoke-filled room can have up to 6 times the air pollution of a busy highway.
