Frankfort, KY–April 3, 2019–Last week, the General Assembly passed legislation to make schools in Kentucky tobacco-free. The legislation will prohibit the use of tobacco products by students, school personnel and visitors in schools, school vehicles, properties and activities. These policies will be required to be in place by the 2020-2021 school year.
“It’s encouraging that the Kentucky General Assembly recognizes the critical need for tobacco control policies that help keep children from smoking and using e-cigarettes,” said Kristy Young, Kentucky government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “ACS CAN looks forward to working with the General Assembly to pass evidence-based policies that reduce tobacco use.”
ACS CAN advocates and volunteers will continue to support proven, evidence-based legislative measures for reducing tobacco use in Kentucky such as comprehensive smoke-free laws and significant tobacco tax increases high enough to reduce youth smoking rates and encourage current people who smoke to quit. Evidence-based, statewide tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustained and accountable have also been shown to reduce tobacco use rates, as well as tobacco-related diseases and deaths. Research shows that the more states spend on comprehensive tobacco control programs, the greater the reductions in tobacco use. That is why we encourage the state to properly fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
ACS CAN looks forward to working with the General Assembly in the future to pass legislation that is proven to reduce the toll of tobacco on Kentuckians.
About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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