Lawmakers and health leaders meet in Frankfort to discuss rise of youth vaping

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WKYT/WAVE) - In the state of Kentucky, the rise of e-cigarette and vaping use has caused officials and health leaders to meet and discuss at the capitol in Frankfort Tuesday.

A report from sister station WKYT in Lexington said that the meeting was first planned after news of the first vaping-related death in the state was announced Friday.

Ben Chandler with the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow, is looking to get the public fired-up over what he calls the ‘vaping epidemic’. He is hoping to earn more funds for prevention efforts allotted to the State Public Health Department.

Chandler told WKYT that part of the problem was that many younger users don’t know the dangers and side-effects related to vaping.

“We have seen the number of high-schoolers who vape every day more than quadruple in the last 2 years,” Chandler said.

The coalition has been working more school districts smoke-free in the last several months.