Maine Laws and Programs

Maine, once a part of Massachusetts, became a state in 1820. Maine covers 30,862 square miles, and has a population of approximately 1.3 million residents. Research suggests that alcohol is the predominant drug of abuse in Maine. A 2007 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 57 percent of adults in Maine had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days, and 16 percent reported consuming five or more drinks at least once within the past month.

The same survey found that 40 percent of Maine high school students had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days. The health consequences of this trend are significant because compared to other substances with abuse potential, alcohol causes appreciably more fatalities and disease. Current research ...