Tobacco Use

The Challenges

  • Nearly 20% of 11th and 12th graders in Androscoggin County used cigarettes within the last month1. The Healthy Maine 20102 target for adolescent smoking is 15%.
  • 24.5% of Androscoggin County residents smoke; this is higher than the percentage for Maine (20.9%)3, the U.S. (20%)4 and the Healthy People 20105 goal of 19%.
  • The most prevalent causes of death in Androscoggin County are heart disease, cancer and stroke6, which are all increased by tobacco use3.

How Healthy Androscoggin is Meeting the Challenge

  • The Tobacco Support Group

    • Meets every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the LePage Conference Center at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, 99 Campus Avenue, Lewiston. Call Healthy Androscoggin at 795-5990 to confirm location.

  • The Saturday Diversion Program

    • Offered once per month, the Saturday Diversion Program is an educational alternative for first-time juvenile offenders charged with civil violations for alcohol, tobacco and marijuana violations and/or violations of school substance use policies. Police Departments, police officers, juvenile detectives, probation officers, school resource officers, school substance abuse counselors, school administrators, judges, district attorneys and parents ALL play a part in the success of this program.

  • Youth 2 Youth programs

    • The program creates and supports advocacy groups by and for teens, in Lewiston High School, Edward Little High School, Leavitt High School, Lisbon High School, Poland Regional High School Lewiston Middle School, Auburn Middle School and P.W. Sugg Middle School. The youth work on a variety of health promotion activities in their school and community.

  • Quit and Win

    • A support program to help people maintain their New Year’s Resolution to become tobacco-free, which runs every January and February and is open to adults. Those who quit for the five weeks of the program are eligible for prizes including cash awards.

  • Tar Wars

    • A tobacco-free education program and poster contest for 5th graders. The number of 5th grade students reached by Tar Wars has increased to 90% since the program was first offered in 1995.

  • State and Local initiatives

    • Maine Tobacco-Free College Network works to help campuses become smoke free.
      Healthy Androscoggin helped Bates College go smoke-free in 2004.
    • Smoke-Free Housing is dedicated to increasing the number of smoke-free housing opportunities in Maine.
    • Healthy Androscoggin supports initiatives to eliminate smoking on hospital property.

1 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey 2006
2 Healthy Maine 2010 is collection of health goals and objectives to be achieved in Maine by 2010
3 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2004-2005
4 National Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Prevalence Data 2006
5 Healthy People 2010 is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative which seeks to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities in the U.S. throughout the first decade of the 21st century
6 Vital Records, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.