Your recent editorial espousing the need for a comprehensive approach to tobacco control was right on the money. In addition to protecting the dollars needed to support the Fund for a Healthy Maine, the Legislature must take a multi-faceted approach to win the fight against tobacco.

We can help tobacco users quit and prevent kids and young adults from ever becoming addicted to these deadly products by encouraging our lawmakers to pass strong tobacco prevention and control policies such as smoke-free laws, tobacco tax increases and funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Tobacco is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in Maine and nationwide. It’s time for us to change that. Maine has made progress through the Fund for a Healthy Maine, but if we don’t continue to enact policies to reduce the burden of tobacco in our state — or if we cut funding to these important programs, as Gov. Paul LePage proposes — this progress and future successes are at risk.

As a volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, I encourage our lawmakers to oppose cuts to the Fund for a Healthy Maine, and to support strong tobacco prevention and control policies to reduce tobacco use, and, therefore, suffering and death from tobacco-related diseases in Maine.

Janet Miles, volunteer

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Livermore