Breathing Free: The Fight for a Smoke-Free Kentucky
Every Kentuckian deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life, and that includes having the fundamental human right to breathe air free from smoke. Because there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, the only proven way to universally protect the people of Kentucky is to make sure the spaces we all share are completely smoke-free.
We need your help protecting Kentuckians from the predatory and dirty tactics of the tobacco/nicotine industry. For decades, this industry has spent millions of dollars on lobbying to influence policy in their favor in Kentucky. The reality is that there are over 8000 tobacco-related deaths in Kentucky annually. But these deaths are preventable, and we are making strides to keep all Kentuckians safe from the harmful effects of tobacco.
We have seen some big wins recently in the fight against Big Tobacco to protect the health of Kentuckians. This spring, one of our Heart Powered advocates added her voice to the conversation in Ludlow, Kentucky, emphasizing the importance of protecting the health of her community. In part due to her advocacy, Ludlow City Council was able to pass a smoke-free ordinance unanimously. Smoke-free policies not only protect non-smokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke but also encourage people who smoke to quit or reduce their tobacco consumption. Now, Ludlow residents can breathe clean air and protect their health, something that all Kentuckians should be guaranteed.
Smoke-free ordinances are not the only way to protect Kentuckians from the dangers of smoking. During the 2025 Kentucky Legislative Session, lawmakers stood up to Big Tobacco and passed a bill that requires retailers who sell tobacco and nicotine products to be licensed with the state. This allows the state to conduct annual compliance checks and sanction any retailer found to be illegally selling to kids. By making tobacco retail licensure law, the Legislature is protecting future generations of Kentuckians.