Turning to health news.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among both women and men.

When it comes to new lung cancer cases, Kentucky now ranks worst in the nation, according to a new State of lung cancer report by the American Lung Association.

But there are some areas where the state is showing improvement, according to Shannon Baker, the director of advocacy for the American Lung Association and Today's Medical News.

She says vaping is becoming the state's biggest challenge in the fight against lung cancer.

We are back to being the second highest smoking rate in the nation.

We had dipped down to four, but now we are back to the second highest.

Trailing only West Virginia.

And we all know that smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.

And so we have so much more work to do as it relates to our smoking rate in Kentucky.

While it's true that Kentucky ranks highest for lung cancer incidents or new cases diagnosed every year, and for mortality or deaths due to lung cancer, we have made a lot of progress and we should celebrate that progress.

But know that we also have so much more work to do.

And when I talk about progress, I'm really focusing on the fact that Kentucky is a national leader in screening for lung cancer.

We rank 12th in the nation with over 20% of high risk individuals being screened, and that's above the national average, which is around 18%.

And the reason that's so important is because early detection is the key to successful treatment.

Our survival rate has increased by 32% over the past five years.

So we are again moving in the right direction.

But lots of ground to gain to make up for.

We know that nicotine addiction is very, very powerful.

Right.

And and one of the greater challenges is the fact that young people who would have otherwise probably never touched a traditional combustible cigaret have been targeted and lured with these newer vaping products.

People who begin with the use of these vape products often become addicted to high levels of nicotine and become dual users with also the use of combustible cigarets.

So we are calling for the dual settlement funds that Kentucky receives as the result of a lawsuit against tool for targeting our children to be directed to tobacco prevention and control, as opposed to just absorbed in the general fund and used for anything.

These funds are coming into Kentucky for a limited amount of time, and should be appropriately directed to right the wrong perpetrated on Kentucky's kids.

And so we are calling for that roughly $1.2 million a year over the next few years to be directed toward youth prevention and cessation.

Let's keep kids from ever starting using these products through programs to educate them about the risks.

And then those who have already become addicted and are ready to quit and want to quit.

We need to support their quit journey.

So that's one thing that the Lung Association and our partner organizations are calling on the legislature to do.

But the second thing is also we need to increase the funding, the regular source of funding for the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program.

And so currently, Kentucky directs $2 million toward that program.

But this is a budget session.

So we are calling on the legislature to double that amount.

Let's address this nation's highest lung cancer burden with appropriate programs to prevent initiation ever use.

Right.

And then also to help those who want to quit do their.

Earlier this year, the Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 11, mandating that only FDA authorized vape products can be sold in the state.

Also passed into law.

The Senate Bill 100, requiring all tobacco and vape retailers to get a state license with enforcement and inspection by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.