FRANKFORT, KY – As lawmakers kick off the 2026 legislative session, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges legislators to prioritize proven youth tobacco prevention measures and programs that help those already addicted quit.
The Following Statement Can be Attributed to Doug Hogan, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network government relations director:
“By allocating $4 million annually through the budget and allocating all future JUUL settlement funds to fact-based tobacco prevention programs, Kentucky has an opportunity to address the youth tobacco use epidemic and protect our middle and high school students from deadly and addictive tobacco products. A well-funded tobacco cessation and prevention program is essential to provide the support needed to help people quit and to prevent kids and young adults from starting to use tobacco.
“As Big Tobacco has been working hard to addict future generations with e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, the need for funding for tobacco prevention programs has never been greater. Tobacco companies are spending $251.0 million per year just in Kentucky to market tobacco products—and their deceitful tactics are working, as more than 20% of high school students currently use tobacco products.
“In Kentucky, tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of disease and death, and smoking is linked to at least 12 types of cancers. Each year, more than 8,900 Kentuckians die from a smoking-related disease. State lawmakers have an opportunity to reduce this number and reduce the number of Kentuckians who will hear the words, ‘you have cancer’ in the future by increasing funding to $4 million annually in the state budget, as well as dedicating all future JUUL settlement payments for fact-based programs to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help those already addicted quit.”