| Address: | Bureau of Health, Department of Human Services
Key Bank Plaza 4th Floor, 11 State House Station Augusta, ME 04330-0011 |
| Phone: | 207-287-4627; Maine Tobacco Help Line 1-800-207-1230 (toll free) |
| Website: | http://www.tobaccofreemaine.org/aboutptm.html |
| Services: | The Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine (PTM) is the primary program responsible for tobacco prevention and control throughout the state of Maine. The PTM was originally developed as a result of the tobacco excise tax legislation passed in 1997. In November 1998, Maine, along with 45 other states across the country, sued the tobacco industry for the recovery of the states Medicaid health care costs attributed to tobacco use. As a result of the Master Settlement Agreement the industry committed to paying the states approximately $206 billion over the next 25 years. Of that total, it is estimated that Maine will receive approximately $50 million per year. Through the Fund for a Healthy Maine, the 119th Maine State Legislature dedicated all of the state tobacco settlement funds to health programs. A significant portion of those funds has been allocated specifically to the PTM to develop and implement statewide tobacco prevention, control, and treatment programs. The PTM, a comprehensive program, also receives funding from a cooperative agreement with the CDC and is designed to reflect the CDCs Best Practice Guidelines for Statewide Tobacco Prevention and Control Programs. The mission of the PTM is to reduce death and disability due to tobacco use among Maine citizens by creating an environment that is supportive of a tobacco-free life. The statewide program, which focuses its efforts primarily on population-based strategies to effect policy and environmental change, has four primary goals: Prevent youth and young adults from starting to use tobacco; Motivate and assist tobacco users to quit; Protect the public from exposure to secondhand smoke; and Identify and eliminate disparities related to tobacco use among population groups. The PTM supports a variety of programs and activities that help to achieve the above goals. These include: Statewide media: counter-marketing and public awareness campaigns. A statewide coordinated system of tobacco treatment services including the toll-free Maine Tobacco HelpLine, tobacco treatment medication program, and training in tobacco treatment for health care providers and other health care professionals. Funding to 31 local Healthy Maine Partnerships across the state working to reduce tobacco use and tobacco-related chronic diseases. Enforcement activities related to preventing youth access to tobacco as well as laws regulating smoking in public places and work places. No BUTS!: An outreach and training program on responsible retailing to assist retailers in complying with youth access laws. MY TURN: A statewide youth advocacy board. Local youth advocacy programs. A statewide Tobacco-Free Athletes program. |