Maine health advocates 2025 priorities include higher tobacco tax, AI protections [Video]

Health experts and advocates are prioritizing a wide range of issues in the upcoming legislative session, spanning from the tobacco tax and artificial intelligence protections to measures that address children’s behavioral health, medical cannabis and workforce shortages.

Matt Wellington, associate director of the Maine Public Health Association, said his organization will push to increase the tobacco tax, which he said has not been increased in 20 years, in order to fund efforts to reduce rates of cancer.

Maine has a higher cancer incidence rate than the national average, yet one of the lowest tobacco taxes in the region.

“One in three Mainers will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime,” Wellington said. “We’re putting a big emphasis on educating lawmakers about all of the tools at our disposal to prevent cancer and to reduce the incidence of cancer in our state.”

MPHA also supports efforts to update landlord-tenant regulations to create safer housing that can handle extreme weather events and high-heat days …