BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Teen smoking is on the rise here in the commonwealth, according to a study by Tobacco Free Kids, with 4.9% of teens smoking cigarettes, more than 1% above the national average.

What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Augusta Mayfield has been tracking teen smoking rates and says the commonwealth outpaces the national average

  • These high statistics have lawmakers concerned. Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 142 into law earlier this year to combat teen smoking

  • The measure requires schools to adopt policies that penalize students for having or using alternative nicotine, tobacco or vapor products

  • Bowling Green Junior High School Assistant Principal Cy Williams has helped develop penalties for students caught smoking at school

Not only is smoking an issue, but so is vaping. According to one doctor Spectrum News 1 spoke to, nearly 27% of teens try vaping at least once. Dr. Augusta Mayfield has been tracking teen smoking rates and says the commonwealth outpaces the national average.

“Three point eight percent of teens smoke throughout the country, so we are above the average there,” Mayfield said.

But what’s attracting ever more young people is vaping.

Mayfield said, “There’s a lure there, they’re fruit flavored, they’re candy flavored.”

Because of the taste, many teens have jumped onto vaping, making Kentucky one of the highest-ranking states for the activity, according to a recent study by Forbes.

“We are number one in the nation for vaping, just behind Tennessee,” Mayfield said.

These high statistics have lawmakers concerned. Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., signed House Bill 142 into law earlier this year after it passed in the General Assembly. The measure requires schools to adopt policies that penalize students for having or using alternative nicotine, tobacco or vapor products.

Bowling Green Junior High School Assistant Principal Cy Williams has helped come up with penalties if students are caught red-handed on school grounds.

“The first offense would result in a Saturday educational opportunity,” Williams said.

That educational opportunity would include a nicotine cessation program.

The second offense would result in disciplinary action, and the third offense would be another lesson on the harmful effects of nicotine.

Williams said, “Ultimately our goal with the students is to give the educational components whenever they make mistakes.”

According to Williams, some teachers have embedded the dangers of vaping into their own curriculum to help further prevent kids from partaking in it. 

The new law also requires schools to provide evidence-based, age-appropriate nicotine prevention and cessation information to all students at the beginning of the school year.

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