For centuries, tobacco has been recognized as the major agricultural contributor to Kentucky's economy. However, as scientific research continues to reveal the pharmacological and physiological effects that tobacco has on the body, tobacco has taken on a more significant role as the major public health issue facing the state. The following statistics and facts further detail the burden that tobacco use and nicotine addiction has placed on citizens of Kentucky.
Human Impact of Tobacco Use
Nearly 7,700 people die every year in Kentucky due to tobacco related diseases 1
Although Kentucky women have an above average rate of pre-natal care, they are ranked 39th and 46th in percentages of low-birthweight and premature babies, respectively - KY mothers rank dead last in the nation for their rate of prenatal smoking (26% of pregnant Kentucky mothers smoke) 2
Kentucky has the highest lung cancer death rate in the nation 3
At current smoking rates, 107,000 Kentucky kids under 18 years old will die prematurely from smoking 3
Second Hand Smoke Effects
Second Hand Smoke (SHS) is a complex mixture of more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including more than 60 known or suspected carcinogens 3
Scientific studies repeatedly find that SHS is a human carcinogen for which there is no "safe" level of exposure 3
SHS has been identified as the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing more than 50,000 people every year - including nearly 1,000 Kentuckians 3
While more and more local laws are being passed in Kentucky protecting non-smokers from exposure to SHS, the state still has less than half of it citizens protected by a comprehensive secondhand smoke law.
For more information on SmokeFree policies click here
Second Hand Smoke Effects