KENTUCKY KEY FACTS

In 2015, 35.8% of Kentucky high school youth reported currently using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. Among Kentucky high school youth, 16.9% reported currently smoking cigarettes.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO TOBACCO USE IN KENTUCKY

In 2015, Kentucky’s tobacco control program was one of five states to participate in a pilot program where CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers™ (Tips)™ ads promoted the availability of free nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) for individuals who called the state quitline. People are more likely to quit successfully if they have access to counseling and medications, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). State quitlines allow smokers to call and receive free counseling to help them quit smoking, as well as free NRT in many states. As a result of Kentucky's pilot program, NRT utilization rates for quitline callers increased by 821% during this two-week period. In addition, call volume to the quitline increased by 150%. After the pilot ended, Kentucky’s tobacco control program decided to continue to provide free NRT for an additional eight weeks for all callers who enrolled in counseling. The quitline has continued to experience high call volumes.

For more information on tobacco prevention and control, visit cdc.gov/tobacco.