MAINE, USA — In response to new data showing an increase in e-cigarette use among Maine youth, Governor Janet Mills announced Friday that her administration will launch an education and prevention campaign aimed at raising awareness of the dangers these devices present.
Gov. Mills also said her administration will move to eliminate provision in state law that still allows some individuals under the age of 21 to buy tobacco products.
“Vaping poses a serious risk to the health of young people across Maine, and as this disturbing data shows, far too many are drawn in by the false allure of e-cigarettes,” Gov. Mills said. “Young people know that smoking cigarettes is dangerous to their health. Now, it is important they understand that vaping is also dangerous."
In early 2020, Gov. Mills' administration, through the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC), will launch a full-scale education and prevention campaign. According to Gov. Mills, the campaign will speak directly to young people through social media, YouTube, TV, radio, and other platforms to warn them about the dangers and risks associated with e-cigarette use.
The campaign will be followed by outreach to educate parents about the dangers of vaping and will be funded with revenue from the sales of e-cigarette products.
On Friday, the Maine CDC released data showing that 28.7 percent of Maine high school students report currently using e-cigarettes (at least one time in the past 30 days), an increase from 15.3 percent in 2017.
The increase aligns with the most recent data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which show that 27.5 percent of high school students throughout the United States report having used e-cigarettes within the past 30 days, an increase from 11.7 percent in 2017.
