AUGUSTA – Smoking rates among Maine high school and middle school students have dropped sharply since 1997, when the state launched an anti-smoking campaign, Gov. John Baldacci said Tuesday.

“Maine has cut smoking rates in half, and we have done it in just six years,” Baldacci said at a State House news conference with health officials and advocates and students. “This is not merely a good outcome. It is a phenomenal outcome.”

Not only have youth smoking rates dropped, but tobacco consumption also has decreased by 28 percent from 133 packs per adult in 1997 to 96 in 2003, said state Health Director Dora Anne Mills.

Figures based on statewide health surveys show the smoking rate among high school students has dropped to a new low of 20.5 percent, a 48 percent decrease since 1997, when the comparable tobacco-use rate was 39.2 percent.

Among Maine middle school students, there has been a 59 percent decrease since 1997, when 21 percent of all middle schoolers said they had smoked. The rate now is 8.7 percent.

The percentages translate to 22,000 fewer children smoking now than in 1997, Baldacci said.

“About 12,000 fewer [youths] will die early from tobacco. And, as our youth smoking continues at lower rates, the numbers of fewer smokers will accumulate to much larger totals,” the governor added.

The reductions in smoking rates will save Maine taxpayers millions of dollars in health care costs as well, Baldacci said. Health advocates calculate that having 22,000 fewer children smoking avoids more than $74 million in medical costs and lost productivity.

The figures come from Maine Youth Risk Behavior Surveys of sixth- through 12th-graders conducted every other year. The random surveys, which also measure alcohol and other drug use, sexual behavior, physical activity and dietary behavior, are conducted by a Portland polling firm. The federal government funds the surveys.

Maine has taken a number of steps since 1997 to reduce smoking rates, including increasing cigarette taxes, bolstering safeguards against sales of tobacco to youths, advertising and community and school prevention programs.