Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Status Report, 2004

Executive Summary: The purpose of the Kentucky Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Status Report 2004 is to describe tobacco use and policy patterns in the Commonwealth and local health department service areas from 1996 to 2003. Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in Kentucky and the U.S. Kentucky leads the nation in adult cigarette smoking prevalence and spends over $1 billion dollars each year treating sick smokers. Although the Commonwealth of Kentucky is not making progress in reducing the percent of adults and pregnant women who smoke, the state is moving forward in reducing youth tobacco use, reducing youth access to tobacco products, adopting local voluntary smoke-free policies, and providing cessation programs. In just one year, the percent of smoke-free food establishments in the state increased from 39.6% to 44.5%. On July 1, 2003, one service area (Fayette County) enacted the first smoke-free ordinance in the state. However, very few manufacturing facilities ban smoking or offer resources to promote tobacco cessation for their employees. While almost all middle and high schools (public and private) in the state ban smoking on school grounds for students, less than half have tobacco-free campuses banning tobacco use for employees. While all health departments provide some form of tobacco cessation programs, the average participation rate was only 56.3 per 10,000 adult smokers in 2003. The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program supports local health departments in implementing comprehensive community-based programs that address the four Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) goals to reduce tobacco use and the associated health risks. The CDC goals are to (a) prevent initiation of tobacco use by youth and young adults; (b) promote cessation; (c) reduce exposure to secondhand smoke; and (d) identify and eliminate disparities among population groups that are disproportionately affected by tobacco use. The Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program has developed an Annual Plan that is based on the Healthy Kentuckians 2010 goals to reduce tobacco use. Since FY 2000-2002 the Kentucky General Assembly allocated $5.5 million biannually of the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) monies to the Kentucky Department for Public Health for tobacco control (an average of $.60 per capita). For FY 2003, $3.1 million was allocated for tobacco control, and $2.7 million in FY 2004. The CDC recommends that Kentucky spend at least $6.42 per capita for comprehensive, evidence-based tobacco control. Since 2000, all local health departments have received funding to provide tobacco use prevention and cessation services. Prior to state MSA funding, ten local health departments received $60,000 per year from KDPH through a cooperative agreement with the CDC for comprehensive tobacco control. As of fiscal year 2004-2005, eight local health departments received additional CDC funds for tobacco prevention and cessation