canceractionnetwork - candidate questionnaire

8/11/2019 CancerActionNetwork - Candidate Questionnaire

1/3

Candidate: Eliot Cutler

Race: State Gubernatorial

State: ME

District: N/A

Your Answers

Tobacco Prevention and Control

The United States Centers for Disease Control recommends $15.9 million in annual

state funding for Maines tobacco use prevention and cessation program, which will

support programs that work to (1) prevent tobacco initiation among youth and young

adults; (2) promote quitting among adults and youth; (3) eliminate exposure to

secondhand smoke; and (4) identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities. Will you

support funding the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine, the states tobacco

prevention and control program, at this recommended level of $15.9 million annually?

I strongly support the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine. Prevention measures

that help individuals avoid unhealthy behaviors and lower the burden of chronic

diseases are a critical part of my health care plan.

(www.cutlerformaine.com/health_care) Smoking-related diseases remain our single

most preventable cause of illness and death and exact an enormous toll on youth.

Maine tobacco prevention is outspent 5.1 to 1 by the tobacco industry. (Mike

Michaud has accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from

big tobacco. I never would.) In this regard, I oppose proposals to use the Fund for

Healthy Maine for purposes other than intended by the legislature. We need to

reduce the number of users, particularly in the most vulnerable communities, but as

a matter of principle in this campaign, I will not commit to any specific funding

proposal without an identified revenue source.

Tobacco Prevention and Control

Currently, excise taxes on tobacco products are applied unevenly, which makesnon-cigarette tobacco products like little cigars and loose tobacco relatively

cheaper. The lower relative price that results from this tax loophole makes these

other tobacco products especially attractive to youth. In fact, youth in Maine use

these products at a much higher rate than adults. Do you support equalizing the tax

on other tobacco products (e.g. little cigars and roll-your-own), to the same level as

the tax on cigarettes so tobacco taxes are applied at the same level for all tobacco

products?


2/3

Despite my general opposition to raising broad-based taxes, I agree that equalizing

excise taxes on all tobacco-related produces could both serve as a deterrent to

future smokers and save lives by lowering the burden and costs of chronic disease,

especially cancer. Equalization of the tax would even the playing field across all

tobacco products and limit the ability of the tobacco industry to use the relatively

cheaper pricing and aggressive marketing to attract those Mainers who are most

price sensitive, especially youth, to consume tobacco products. Applying the tax

unevenly makes no sense for our state s economy or health. Even taxation will yield

higher prices on these tobacco products, reducing consumption and generating

more money to help fund prevention efforts.

Access to Care

There are 70,000 working, low-income residents in our state that do not have

access to affordable health care coverage. Would you support the state of Maine

accepting the federal funds available for Maine to improve access to primary

health care coverage and life-saving preventive cancer screenings, such asmammograms and colon cancer screenings, through MaineCare, our states

Medicaid program?

As governor, one of my highest priorities will be to expand MaineCare under the

ACA. In a state that values opportunity and growth, universal access to quality

health care is critical. All Mainers should have a medical home and access to

essential physical and mental health care both because it is the right, fair and

morally responsible thing to do, and because it is the financially and economically

smart thing to do. We need to make certain that the care is appropriate and

reasonable, because that is the fiscally responsible thing to do. In addition to

expanding MaineCare to cover 70,000 of Maines most vulnerable citizens, Maineneeds what most states have: a statewide health system plan that will help us save

money and create a healthier population and workforce.

Obesity Prevention

One in three cancer deaths is due to factors relating to poor nutrition and

physical inactivity, including overweight and obesity. Physical education is the

best way for youth to get a significant portion of their recommended physical

activity, improve their physical fitness, and obtain the knowledge and skills they

need to be physically active throughout their lifetimes. Do you support increasing

physical education in elementary schools to 150 minutes per week and in middle

and high schools to 225 minutes per week?

Fighting childhood obesity is a public health imperative. Students need regular

exercise-- through PE class, sports or community programs-- and incentives to

participate. As governor, I will work with the DOE on strategies to increase physical

education, including PE classes and sports teams, community organizations (such

as hiking and biking clubs) or participation in other organized programs (such as

snowshoeing and the Walking School Bus).


3/3

Changing school schedules can also impact obesity. Studies have found that

students who have recess before lunch rather than after, eat a more nutritious lunch

and return to the classroom ready to tackle classroom work rather than wolfing

down junk food, leaving everything else in their hurry to get out to play. We also

need to encourage reduced reliance on cars, more walking and biking. State

advocacy should encourage more efforts like Lets Go 5-2-1-0.

Quality of Life

Palliative care is the medical subspecialty focused on providing relief from the

symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness like cancer. Would you be willing

to support legislation that would create a statewide multidisciplinary advisory

council to improve the quality and delivery of palliative care, including providing

pain and symptom management, explaining treatment options and improving

patient quality of life during treatment for a serious illness, in our state?

Health care costs too much and is inaccessible for too many. On both of those

counts cost and access weve been moving in the wrong directions. We need toeliminate those barriers and make good health care available to all Mainers at a

reasonable cost. All Maine citizens deserve assurance that they will have patient-

centered care where every person, especially cancer patients, get continuing and

regular attention from a medical team, including palliative care specialists when

needed. As part of providing optimal care to patients and families, every patient

should have an understanding of palliative care and be made aware of his or her

choices, both during and at the end of life. As governor, I will support the creation of

multidisciplinary advisory council to improve the quality and delivery of palliative

care.

canceractionnetwork - candidate questionnaire

Documents