When I was a young girl, I smoked cigarettes. I had easy access because everyone in my family smoked cigarettes. By the time I was in seventh grade, I was addicted to nicotine. When I turned 23, my physician told me, “If you don’t stop smoking, by the time you are 30, you will have emphysema.” I heard him loud and clear, but it took me a year to quit after several failed attempts.

It is vital that Maine has a tobacco prevention and cessation program — especially to help children avoid tobacco products. Cigarettes, vaping, oral nicotine pouches and chewing tobacco are being used by Maine children every day. Many of these tobacco products are flavored to attract children. Maine is the only state in the nation that funds its tobacco prevention and cessation programs at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These programs are vital to educate adults and children about the dangers of tobacco. The programs also help those experiencing addiction to quit, and reduce the toll of tobacco-related illnesses, including heart disease and stroke. The governor’s proposal to increase the tobacco tax is critical. Research shows higher prices discourage children from starting tobacco, while the tax encourages adults to quit.

Please join me in support of Maine’s tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Maine children and adults all deserve to live tobacco-free and safe from the ills of tobacco use.

Deborah Ripley
Topsham