Time to raise the smoking age
The Bangor Daily News hit the nail on the head with its recent editorial calling for raising the purchase age for tobacco products to 21 nationally and in Maine. As the editorial mentions, Maine’s smoking rate among young people has fallen and stayed well below average because of its strong smoke-free laws and its past tobacco control efforts.
In the same way that the high price of tobacco deters young people from smoking, so too would a law raising the age at which tobacco products are legally available for purchase. A report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, by the surgeon general found that almost 90 percent of smokers smoke their first cigarette by age 18.
As the tobacco industry continues its efforts to lure young people into a lifetime addiction to tobacco, we must not only sustain but increase our efforts to counter their tactics. As the Lung Association’s 2015 State of Tobacco Control report highlighted, the economic costs because of smoking exceed $1 billion annually in Maine. It would not only be financially prudent to raise the purchase age for tobacco products, it would improve overall public health and save lives.
Jeff Seyer
President and CEO
American Lung Association of the Northeast
Augusta
Time for national park
It is time to move forward to establish a national park or a national monument in the Katahdin region. There is really no downside to the proposed park.
Large-scale employment in paper mills is gone and will not return in the foreseeable future. Removing 150,000 acres from timber harvesting will have no effect on the future of the forest products industry in the area. The park will provide employment and can only help the local economy, which will inevitably become more tourism-based than in the past.
The park will protect wildlands and wildlife, shorelines and recreation opportunities. I have canoed the East Branch of the Penobscot River and hiked the International Appalachian Trail through the proposed park. The East Branch is one of Maine’s great canoe rivers, with spectacular waterfalls, rapids, scenery and fishing. The International Appalachian Trail passes through magnificent old growth forests and over mountain lookouts viewing Katahdin and the whole of Baxter State Park.
A large majority of Maine residents support the park, including 67 percent of residents in the 2nd Congressional District, according to a recent poll. The national park will only be a positive for the Katahdin region, Maine and the nation.
Things are at an impasse right now because a few unhappy park opponents have intimidated not only local park advocates but also Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins. King could break this logjam with a little courage and a few simple words of support. Time will show this to be the right decision.
Jon Luoma
Alna
Serving hard time with LePage
Margaret Chase Smith, Edmund Muskie, George Mitchell, Bill Cohen and Olympia Snowe: These Maine politicians had pronounced differences in their political philosophies. Yet, even in those differences, they represent a political heritage Maine can take pride in.
Into what warped dimension have we slid under Paul LePage? If, as the adage states, we get the leaders we deserve, then we are serving our hard time, five years and counting.
I can only pray that once this sentence runs its term, we will come to our senses as an electorate and that the damage done by this man’s hand to the people of our state is not irreparable.
Jim Bishop
Bangor
National park will draw people to Millinocket
This past December, Millinocket hosted a marathon. It happened spontaneously and the town warmly welcomed all of us runners. In December, Millinocket will host this race again, and it is already so popular that registration had to be cut off at 1,000 participants.
As I see this happening, I hope the enthusiasm for this marathon can be transferred to enthusiasm for a national park in the area. People came — and are coming — for the marathon itself, but also for the open land, the small town and, of course, the legendary Golden Road. People are coming for the beauty of this place. Sure, there are marathons in other places but they don’t have the same feel of a race in Millinocket. I can’t help but hope that the popularity of this race helps area residents and others across Maine understand the value of the area’s beauty.
The first marathon drew runners from across Maine. The 2016 race has garnered widespread national attention. A national park in this region will draw thousands of visitors from around the world for much longer than one amazing weekend of running. There are so many cities, but there is not enough open land for everyone to get a nature fix. Humanity needs a fix of nature and the North Woods can give it to them.
I implore Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins to help humanity and to be leaders in bringing a new national park to Maine.
Melissa Ossanna
Bar Harbor