WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded a total of $974,168 to combat tobacco use among Maine youth throughout the state, according to a news release.

This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Smoking and Health. 

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, per the release.

According to the most recent data, youth e-cigarette usage has almost doubled since 2017, with an alarming 28.7 percent of Maine high school students currently using e-cigarettes.

Among high school youth in Maine, more than seven percent of individuals reported smoking conventional cigarettes, per the release. 

This funding, awarded through OSH’s National and State Tobacco Control Program, aims to prevent the initiation of commercial tobacco use among youth, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, promote quitting among adult and youth, and identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities.