Kentucky, like many states, is facing a budget shortfall, but of rather modest size
In contrast, it has not taken decades for the harmful effects of vaping to become apparent and for policymakers to develop a sense of urgency around the issue
Total sales of alcohol fell 8 per cent, compared to a steady 3 per cent fall in previous years, just under half of which was attributable to the smoking ban, according to Neilson
That is according to the NHS, which attributed more than 74,000 deaths in the UK in 2020 to smoking-related illnesses
"On balance, over 34 million adults are smoking cigarettes, and we also have 50 million adults using some tobacco product," he said, noting that cigarette smoking disproportionately affects people with lower income and education levels, as well as minority groups and people with mental illnesses