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January marks the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General's Report linking cigarette smoking to lung cancer. While smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, a new study by a 51Ʒ�� evaluation team highlights Maine’s success at reducing secondhand smoke exposure.

Researchers at the School of Community and Population Health found that the prevalence of smoke-free car and home rules among Maine adults was significantly higher after the passage of a state-wide smoke-free vehicle law that prohibits smoking in a car with passengers under age 16. Researchers note that the apparent change in smoke-free rule prevalence may be indicative of changing social norms related to the unacceptability of secondhand smoke exposure.

Data were examined from more than 13,000 Maine adults aged 18 and older who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a telephone survey covering health topics. Self-reported smoke-free car and home rules, smoking behavior, and demographic variables of age, gender, education, income, and children in household were analyzed for prevalence before and after the state's smoke-free vehicle law was passed. Researchers found that variations in smoking rules differed by smoking and demographic variables.

The study is the first to examine the prevalence of reported smoke-free rules in private cars and homes prior to and after the passage of a smoke-free vehicle law in the United States.  UNE’s findings were published yesterday in the academic journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

Ruth Dufresne, research associate in UNE’s School of Community and Population Health and evaluator for the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine (PTM) stated that “possible reasons for the positive outcomes of Maine’s state law include the comprehensive programs conducted throughout the state through Maine CDC - PTM, the Healthy Maine Partnerships, Maine voluntary health agencies, the Breathe Easy Coalition, and numerous other partners to educate the public about the law in Maine and to raise awareness about the effects of secondhand smoke exposure.”  She added that “Maine has strong smoke-free workplace and public place laws.”

Today, the Surgeon General issued a report, “Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress,” highlighting major accomplishments throughout the country in tobacco prevention and control over the past 50 years.  The report mentions Maine’s ban of smoking in public housing, enacted in 2012; and the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine is listed among programs with successful outcomes.

In addition, the report presented new data on the health consequences of smoking and discussed scenarios that can potentially end the tobacco epidemic in the United States.