Tobacco.org

Maine praised for efforts to curb substance abuse 

Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, chairman of a national study commission on substance abuse, met with Gov. John Baldacci on Tuesday and praised Maine’s prevention efforts. . . .

Maine has used tobacco settlement funds for a variety of health-related programs, with more than $17 million allocated this year for smoking cessation and prevention efforts. About $6.7 million is allocated to substance abuse programs. The total expected in the Fund for a Healthy Maine this budget year is nearly $64 million.

“We have had a 50 percent reduction in smoking because of the programs we have funded,” Baldacci said. “We know prevention efforts work.”

He said there has to be a “sharing” of the resources in the fund for broader substance abuse efforts. He said the infrastructure the state has developed to address tobacco addiction can be used to address alcohol and other drug abuse.

“We have community-based programs throughout the state already,” Baldacci noted. “We need to take advantage of that.”

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