KCSP Honors Local Officials, Advocates Fighting for Smoke-Free Environments

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 18, 2020) — The Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy (KCSP), the Kentucky Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program (KTPC), Kentucky Department of Public Health (DPH) and the University of Kentucky College of Nursing hosted its virtual 2020 KCSP Awards Ceremony to honor advocates and city leaders who are fighting toward tobacco-free and smoke-free policies that advance healthy environments for Kentuckians. The ceremony took place on Nov. 10 via Zoom.

The virtual ceremony welcomed health advocates from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the monumental changes being made toward creating healthier environments where community members live and work.

“We have experienced extraordinary momentum and leadership by local elected officials and advocates for smoke-free and tobacco-free protections even during the pandemic,” said Ellen Hahn, UK College of Nursing professor and director of both KCSP and BREATHE.

Keynote speakers and award presenters included:

●     Steven Stack, MD, Kentucky Commissioner for Public Health

●     Scott Stevens, MD, UK College of Medicine

●     Ellen Hahn, PhD, UK College of Nursing, BREATHE

●     Elizabeth Anderson-Hoagland, KY Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program

●     Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington

●     Stan Holmes, Former Radcliff City Council Member

●     Amanda Bucher, KCSP

●     Timothy Mullett, MD

●     Anthany Beatty, UK Public Safety

●     Lee Todd, PhD, UK President (former)

●     Cynthia Hallett, President & CEO, Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights

The following awards were presented:

• The recipient for the David B. Stevens, MD, Smoke-Free Advocate of the Year Award was Lori Fulton Brookbank with the Smoke-free Partnership of Mason County, due to her endless dedication toward promoting the importance of smoke-free air for everyone.
• The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) of Mason County received the Smoke-Free Youth Advocate of the Year Award.
• The recipients of the Smoke-Free Indoor Air Excellence Award were the cities of Hazard, Perryville and Hodgenville, along with Perry County for enacting comprehensive smoke-free workplace ordinances.
• The cities of Corbin, Campbellsville and Williamsburg received the Smoke-Free Excellence in E-Cigarette Policy Award for strengthening their comprehensive smoke-free ordinances to prohibit the use of electronic smoking devices in the workplace.
• The Smoke-Free Endeavor in E-Cigarette Policy Award recipients were the cities of Hopkinsville and Frankfort, along with Franklin County for updating their partial smoke-free ordinances to include e-cigarettes.
• The recipients of the Lee T. Todd, Jr. Smoke-Free Hero Award went to two UK Tobacco-free Take Action! Ambassadors, Hayley Leach and Sierrah Miley to recognize their ongoing efforts in promoting smoke and tobacco-free environments.
• The Lifetime Achievement in Tobacco Control Award was presented to Mary Singler, a former Northern Kentucky District Health Department public health educator and tobacco control leader.
• The Timothy W. Mullett, MD, Lung Cancer Prevention Award was granted to Angela Criswell, of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, and Lindi Campbell, lung cancer survivor and founder of Breath of Hope KY, Inc., for their tireless devotion toward the prevention of lung cancer through educating, advocating and fighting for policy change.
• The KY Tobacco-Free Campus Award was presented to Western Kentucky University for implementing a 100% tobacco-free campus policy.

Sponsors for the 2020 KCSP Award Ceremony were:

●     Kentucky Health Collaborative

●     UK HealthCare

●     Interact for Health

●     CHI Saint Joseph Health

●     Kentucky Voices for Health

●     Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation

As part of the University of Kentucky College of Nursing’s BREATHE team, KCSP promotes healthy environments and lung health in order to achieve health equity through research, community outreach, advocacy and policy development (@kysmokefree). Click here for a map and list of smoke-free ordinances in Kentucky.  

The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is responsible for developing and operating state public health programs and activities for the citizens of Kentucky. DPH’s mission is to improve the health and safety of people in Kentucky through prevention, promotion and protection.

The Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (KTPC) in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services aims to reduce preventable and premature deaths attributed to tobacco use by implementing programs to decrease tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. This includes local and statewide programs encouraging youth not to use tobacco products and helping those who want to quit in doing so (@KyTobaccoFree).