Press Releases

New laws take effect as state reports increase in teen smoking
 
As Maine sees teen smoking rates rise for the first time in 10 years, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree says new tobacco laws that took effect yesterday will be critical for the state’s fight against teen smoking.
 
“I was very disappointed to hear that teen smoking is on the rise again in Maine. Despite our efforts, it’s still too easy for a child to pick up that first cigarette,” said Pingree.  “The reforms we passed are an excellent step, but we need to do more to stop tobacco companies from finding their next generation of customers by marketing to today’s children.”
 
Pingree voted to support the Family Smoking Prevention and Control Act, which was signed into law a year ago.  The reforms include:
 
·     Cracking down on marketing to kids by banning tobacco-brand sponsorship of sport and entertainment events, banning giveaways of tobacco-branded items like hats and T-shirts, and prohibiting the sale of less expensive “kiddie packs” of fewer than 20 cigarettes;

·     Banning use of deceptive “light,” “mild,” and “low-tar” labels which lead customers to believe, incorrectly, that these products reduce the risks of smoking; and 

·     Requiring larger warning labels for smokeless tobacco products, which tobacco companies have aggressively marketed since cigarette smoking has declined.
 
After a 10-year decline in Maine’s teen smoking rate from 39 to 14 percent, a recently released federal report found the rate is up to 18.1 percent. 
 
Maine has recently been awarded a $750,000 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to fight against teen tobacco use.
 
“After all the work Maine has done to give our kids a healthy start to life, the new findings are very frustrating,” said Pingree.  “It just shows that we cannot back down and we need to keep doing everything we can to stop children from smoking before they ever start.”