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Julia MacDonald is the Maine government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Among the Northeast states, Maine has so much that sets it apart: the most visited national park in the region, foodie famous lobster rolls and whoopie pies, our iconic Bean boots and the greatest number of scenic islands of any state on the Atlantic coast — to name a few.
Another, lesser known, reason that Maine stands along among its New England neighbors: the high number of cancer deaths attributable to cigarette use. In fact, Maine has the 8th highest rate of smoking related cancer deaths in the country (nearly 34 percent) — ranked alongside Alabama, Louisiana, Missouri, and other southern states. For a state with so much to be proud of, this is not something we want to be known for.
This isn’t a problem that can be ignored, but fortunately, it’s one that we know how to address — and Gov. Janet Mills has already put a budgetary solution on the table: a $1 cigarette tax increase. Data from the American Cancer Society is clear: significant increases in cigarette taxes are one of the most effective ways to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help adults quit.
Despite Mills’ proposal and the evidence supporting the tax, voices of resistance have popped up across the state. Why? One answer is Big Tobacco’s grip on our great state.
The tobacco industry is driving what I see as a false narrative here in Maine, with their motivation largely being their own bottom line. While national smoking rates have declined in recent years, smoking rates remain higher among specific populations, including people with limited incomes. These differences are in large part due to the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing, and Maine is no exception. Every year, according to American Cancer Society calculations, Big Tobacco spends over $48 million in marketing their deadly and addictive products here in our state.
A tax increase of $1 per pack of cigarettes with a parallel tax on all other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, would generate revenue, protect kids and save lives. In fact, increasing Maine’s cigarette tax by $1 per pack would reduce youth smoking by an estimated 7 percent and help an estimated 3,200 adults quit smoking.
Don’t be fooled by Big Tobacco’s misleading concern for Mainers with limited incomes. The tobacco industry has a history of prioritizing corporate profits over people and communities burdened by tobacco-related illness and death. In fact, they have a long and well-documented history of targeting people with limited incomes with discounts and promotions of these deadly and addictive products dating back over 60 years.
When faced with mounting evidence that tobacco tax increases effectively reduce tobacco use, tobacco manufacturers will likely try to distract policymakers from the material facts. This isn’t the first time the tobacco industry and its allies have done this. Consider the facts: every state that has significantly increased its cigarette tax has also boosted its state revenue. This is true even when surrounded by lower-tax states.
At the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, we know that tax increases are among the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use. Thus, decreasing the risk of serious death and disease, including cancer. We support regular and significant increases in tobacco taxes, like the one Gov. Mills has proposed, because they are proven to be effective in helping people who use tobacco to quit.
The health benefits of this policy are undeniable, and the reduction in tobacco burden is most pronounced for people with limited incomes, youths and other groups the tobacco industry targets.
Let’s do what it takes to keep Maine as a regional standout for all the wonderful things the state has to offer — not as an outlier when it comes to fighting tobacco use, protecting public health, and reducing cancer related death and disease.