Summary: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Maine spend $18.5 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program.  Maine currently receives $11.7 million a year for tobacco prevention and cessation, which includes both state and federal funds.  This is 63.2% of the CDC's recommendation and ranks Maine 6th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs.  Maine's spending on tobacco prevention amounts to 5.7% of the estimated $206 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.

Recent Developments: In 1997, Maine increased its cigarette tax and used a portion of those funds to establish a comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program known as the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine. Maine's program is no longer funded through cigarette tax revenue, but with proceeds from the tobacco settlement.  The FY2009 budget enacted by the Legislature and Governor John Baldacci (D) included $10.9 million for the tobacco program.  This is about the same amount that the state spent on tobacco-specific work in FY2008.  However, this amount represents a reduction from the amounts the state has reported spending on the tobacco program in previous years. This is because the state is now distinguishing between funds specifically spent on tobacco prevention, cessation and control work and funds spent on integrated work that targets the range of factors that drive tobacco-related chronic diseases.

Combined with funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, total spending on tobacco prevention in FY2009 will be $11.7 million.