FRANKFORT, KY – “As the Senate starts their work on the state’s operating budget, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network implores senators to increase funding for the state’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program to $10 million annually.
“This funding will reduce cancer diagnoses and deaths and save lives in Kentucky, where over 34% of cancer deaths are attributable to smoking. In addition, an increase in funding to $10 million annually would benefit Kentucky’s youth by reducing their smoking rate by 2.9%, keeping 2,800 kids from becoming adults who smoke and preventing 900 kids from dying prematurely from tobacco use.
“Due to sharp increases in youth tobacco use in recent years, largely due to skyrocketing rates of e-cigarette use, the decades of progress that has been made in reducing tobacco use rates in youth is now in jeopardy with 29.7% of Kentucky high school students currently using tobacco products.
“Kentucky receives over $495 million annually in revenue from tobacco taxes and tobacco settlement lawsuits, yet only invests 0.4% of that state tobacco revenue in programs to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help adults quit. Kentucky can and must do better.
“Kentucky has the second highest adult smoking rate in the country. The General Assembly has the opportunity to create a cleaner, safer, healthier Kentucky by increasing tobacco prevention and cessation program funding to $10 million annually.”
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About ACS CAN at 20
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) makes cancer a top priority for policymakers at every level of government. ACS CAN empowers volunteers across the country to make their voices heard to influence evidence-based public policy change that saves lives. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, find, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and made workplaces, including restaurants and bars, smoke-free. As we mark our 20th anniversary, we’re more determined than ever to stand together with our volunteers and save more lives from cancer. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.