FRANKFORT, KY - Two of Kentucky’s most notable college basketball players are using their influence to tell young people they are ‘Better Without It.’
The University of Louisville’s J’Vonne Hadley and The University of Kentucky’s Trent Noah, both standouts on the basketball court, took to their social media platforms this week to highlight the positive effects of a drug-free lifestyle.
“March always brings madness to the Commonwealth, and this year it also brings a lifesaving message. Our young people are Better Without It,” said Attorney General Russell Coleman. “We are grateful to partner with the Cats, Cards, and Hilltoppers in the fight to prevent addiction and overdose death.”
Last month, Attorney General Coleman teamed up with coaches from the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University to launch the “Better Without It” campaign, a first-of-its-kind, youth-centered substance abuse prevention program. Through NIL agreements and other partnerships, student athletes, influencers and other stakeholders across Kentucky will promote a positive message about a drug-free lifestyle. Watch the event.
Hadley, a 5th year guard from St. Paul Minnesota, described the sport’s positive effect on him, “Anytime I’m feeling down or maybe alone, I always have basketball to go to. I can go to the gym at any time of the day and just my mind clears up.”
Noah, a freshman forward from southeast Kentucky, had this message for young Kentuckians, “I think staying active helps me to be my best self by keeping me disciplined.”
Last September, the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission unanimously approved the Attorney General's two-year, $3.6 million proposal to establish the research-backed youth education campaign. With Hadley and Noah, more than a dozen athletes have now committed to the Better Without It campaign. Efforts to partner with additional athletes and influences from across Kentucky continue.
To date, the Commission has distributed more than $50 million in settlement funds to combat the drug crisis, directly helping Kentuckians overcome addiction and promote long-term recovery.
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