Tobacco Free Living

The Challenge
Although Maine has made great progress in encouraging its residents to choose tobacco-free lifestyles, there is still work to be done. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death for Mainers. According to the Maine CDC's Cumberland District Health Profile:

 • About 16.3% of Cumberland County residents still smoke
 • About 11.9% of Cumberland County adolescents (6-12 grade) claim they have smoked in the past 30 days.
 • Nearly 21% of the residents of Maine smoke cigarettes. ('State of Tobacco Control 2007' report from the American Lung Association)
 • Over 2200 deaths per year in Maine are attributable to smoking cigarettes. ('State of Tobacco Control 2007' report from the
   American Lung Association)

What Healthy Casco Bay is Doing
Healthy Casco Bay is committed to helping reduce tobacco use in the towns it serves.

 • Partnering with Center for Tobacco Independence to train health care providers in how to encourage quitting.
 • Supporting and promoting the Maine QuitLine.
 • Partnering with Smoke Free Housing Coalition to Encourage Landlords to make their rentals smoke free.
 • Sending smoke free homes pledges home with over 400 school kids in the region
 • Providing technical assistance to stores that want to participate in the NO BUTS program.
 • Partnering with state of Maine in development of a campaign to encourage 18-25 yr olds to choose smoke free  lifestyles.
 • Developing a retreat to train youth program staff on how to discuss tobacco and other wellness issues.

The whole Healthy Maine Partnership statewide initiative has its roots in trying to help folks quit.  Did you know that most smokers actually WANT to quit, but struggle to do so because of the addictive effects of nicotine? Are you one of those struggling smokers?

Here are some helpful resources:

Tobacco Use--General Resources

• American Lung Association of Maine , promotes lung health and prevents lung disease.

 • Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine , Maine Bureau of Health program to prevent and control tobacco in Maine.

 • The Truth Campaign , the largest nationally focused anti-tobacco campaign for youth.

Tobacco Use--Quitting Resources and Links

 • Call the Maine Tobacco Helpline 1-800-207-1230

 • American Cancer Society , help in quitting

 • Freedom From Smoking , an online, free smoking cessation program from the American Lung Association

 • National Partnership for Smoke Free Families, a national program working to discover the best ways for pregnant  
   women to quit smoking.    Information for smokers, researchers, friends and family and policy makers.

 • Nicotine Anonymous, offers support for people who want to "gain freedom from nicotine." Pamphlets in six (6)
   languages.

 • Office of the Surgeon General, information on ways to quit smoking, tobacco facts and cessation news. Some
   documents available in  Spanish.

 • Quit 4 Life, a Canadian site available in English and French that tells the story of four young people who decide to quit
   smoking. Good for young audiences.

 • Quit.net, Quit all together, upon registration, you get peer-to-peer support, quitting tools, quit tips, anniversary emails 
   and up-to-date information. Without registering, you can obtain a guide to help you quit, a calendar to follow through  
   the process, a directory of cessation programs and daily tobacco news.

 • Quit Now , a National Institute of Health funded study to aid in quitting smokeless tobacco

 • Quit Smoking: Smokeless Tobacco Cessation Program , a Smokeless Tobacco Cessation Program from George
   Mason University.

 • Spit Tobacco , the section of the site of the American Academy of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery) that
   includes information on   Spit Tobacco, including what it is, what's in it, the effects of using it and tips to quit spit
   tobacco.

 • http://www.mylastdip.com/   An online smokeless tobacco cessation website.

 • Try to stop.org, offers a personalized, interactive "quit wizard" to serve as a guide during the quitting process,
 information programs in  your community that can help you quit, downloadable brochures, success stories, expert advice, e-cards and links to other web-based quit tools