Opposed - State Universities

The University of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy has been the driving factor behind smoking bans throughout the state of Kentucky.

Ellen Hahn, the head of the organization, received training and funding from RWJF to promote a smoking ban in Kentucky. She has received various other grants, including taxpayer-funded grants. Most recently, Hahn received $296,664 from the 2009 Recovery Act (a.k.a. "The Stimulus"), to promote smoking bans throughout Kentucky.

This is, yet again, our taxpayer dollars at work pushing advocacy positions, rather than providing basic services, which is the purpose of our tax dollars.

In Northern Kentucky, Ellen Hahn spoke at the Crestview Hills City Council Economic Committee debate on smoking bans, in conjunction with Northern Kentucky ACTION, and has been rumored to have opened an office in Covington, so they will likely become a larger player in Northern Kentucky.

Ellen Hahn led the effort to ban outdoor smoking and all other tobacco use on UK's campus, and is now seeking to have smoking banned on city streets and sidewalks. However, the UK campus ban has not been enforced, and has only led to an increase in litter on campus.

Despite what their partner Northern Kentucky ACTION says, it is clear that the goal of this organization is to use government to force tobacco cessation, by making the practice as absolutely inconvenient as possible, rather than allowing individuals to make informed, adult choices.