Health News
As a proposed statewide smoking ban continues to be debated, Kentucky and Indiana have received dismal grades from the American Lung Association's recently released State of Tobacco Control 2009 report. But it's 2011, and parts of the report are already out of date.
- Pharmacy Chain With 65 Ky. Stores Will Stop Selling Tobacco
CVS Caremark pharmacies will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products in all of its 7,600 U.S. stores by Oct. 1. Kentucky has 65 CVS Caremark stores. This is the first national pharmacy chain to make this decision. "CVS Caremark sets a powerful...
- Key Tools Against Smoking In Last 50 Years Have Been Taxes, Laws, Regulations, Medicine, Education And Cessation Programs
Eight million lives have been saved as a result of the U.S. surgeon general's efforts for tobacco control says an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Surgeon General Luther Terry jump-started America's efforts to battle...
- Kentucky Spends Less Than A Penny Of Its Tobacco-settlement Money On Prevention Programs; Few States Do Very Much
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report says that 15 years after the 1998 state tobacco settlement, Kentucky ranks 38th in the nation in funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs, only 3.7 percent of the amount recommended by the federal Centers...
- Spend $1 On Smoking Cessation, Save $3 In Health Costs, Massachusetts Study Finds
Every $1 spent on smoking cessation in Massachusetts, saved $3 in health costs, a study of low-income Bay State residents found. That could bode well for the impact of a new smoking-cessation benefit in Kentucky's Medicaid program. Massachusetts...
- Kentucky Ranks 36th For Tobacco Prevention Spending; Many States Have Made Cuts
Though it received $389 million in tobacco-settlement funds in fiscal year 2012, and ranks first or second in tobacco use, Kentucky spent just $2.2 million of that on prevention of tobacco use. The figures rank Kentucky 36th in the nation for helping...
Health News
Kentucky gets 'F' for tobacco control, but expansion of cessation programs in Medicaid should raise grade
As a proposed statewide smoking ban continues to be debated, Kentucky and Indiana have received dismal grades from the American Lung Association's recently released State of Tobacco Control 2009 report. But it's 2011, and parts of the report are already out of date.
Kentucky received an "F" in all four assessed categories, including tobacco prevention and spending; smoke-free air; cigarette taxes; and cessation coverage. On the latter point, the state Medicaid program only provided coverage for smoking-cessation medication in 16 of 120 counties, but Gov. Steve Beshear announced in October 2010 that all Kentucky Medicaid patients are now eligible for nicotine- replacement therapy (NRT) products and tobacco-cessation medications. Under the program, the recipient is assessed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The recipient then chooses a smoking program in which to enroll and NRT or stop-smoking medications will be prescribed by the provider as needed. For more information about the program, click here.
Comprehensive smoking bans in Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort and other communities were commended in the report. For a report from Louisville's WDRB-TV, click here.
- Pharmacy Chain With 65 Ky. Stores Will Stop Selling Tobacco
CVS Caremark pharmacies will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products in all of its 7,600 U.S. stores by Oct. 1. Kentucky has 65 CVS Caremark stores. This is the first national pharmacy chain to make this decision. "CVS Caremark sets a powerful...
- Key Tools Against Smoking In Last 50 Years Have Been Taxes, Laws, Regulations, Medicine, Education And Cessation Programs
Eight million lives have been saved as a result of the U.S. surgeon general's efforts for tobacco control says an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Surgeon General Luther Terry jump-started America's efforts to battle...
- Kentucky Spends Less Than A Penny Of Its Tobacco-settlement Money On Prevention Programs; Few States Do Very Much
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report says that 15 years after the 1998 state tobacco settlement, Kentucky ranks 38th in the nation in funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs, only 3.7 percent of the amount recommended by the federal Centers...
- Spend $1 On Smoking Cessation, Save $3 In Health Costs, Massachusetts Study Finds
Every $1 spent on smoking cessation in Massachusetts, saved $3 in health costs, a study of low-income Bay State residents found. That could bode well for the impact of a new smoking-cessation benefit in Kentucky's Medicaid program. Massachusetts...
- Kentucky Ranks 36th For Tobacco Prevention Spending; Many States Have Made Cuts
Though it received $389 million in tobacco-settlement funds in fiscal year 2012, and ranks first or second in tobacco use, Kentucky spent just $2.2 million of that on prevention of tobacco use. The figures rank Kentucky 36th in the nation for helping...