For the upcoming 2025 legislative session, the Maine Public Health Association (MPHA) is prioritizing a tobacco tax increase, unchanged for 20 years, to fund cancer prevention in a state with one of the region’s lowest tobacco taxes and higher-than-average cancer rates.
“Maine has one of the lowest tobacco taxes in the region but a higher cancer rate than the national average,” said Matt Wellington, MPHA’s associate director. “One in three Mainers will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Raising the tobacco tax is a proven tool to reduce smoking rates and prevent cancer.”
The proposed increase aims to address Maine’s growing cancer burden by deterring tobacco use, especially among youth, and funding critical public health initiatives. Advocates emphasize that higher tobacco taxes are directly linked to lower smoking rates and long-term health savings.
