Better Without It

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“Better Without It”

Kentucky Attorney General youth drug-prevention campaign (US-KY), paid from opioid settlement funds through the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission. Launched February 2025 with University of Kentucky, Louisville and Western Kentucky athletes and coaches (NIL deals), then young Kentuckians' own stories, on social media, streaming and campuses for 13-26-year-olds.

Years: 2025–now
Country: United States
Budget: "two-year, $3.6 million proposal" approved by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (LEX 18, Sept 2024); "The funding comes from settlements Kentucky received from opioid companies" (LEX 18, 2026, on a request to expand). Purchase orders: JMIS Kentucky $175,000 (Oct 2024-Jun 2025) and $75,000 (Aug 2025-Jun 2026); Learfield $210,000 (Aug 2025-Jun 2026).
Topic: Alcohol Drugs Opioids
Asks people to: Never start
Strategy: Celebrity Testimonial Trusted messenger
Channel: Events Influencer Social (organic)Social (paid)
Audience: Young adults Youth
Kentuckians aged 13-26.

Evidence

Self-reportedUnknown

Sponsor: over 7 million views since launch (LEX 18, 2026). No outcome evaluation found.

Sponsor (who paid)

Office of the Kentucky Attorney General (Russell Coleman) State local government, funder
Kentucky opioid settlement funds (Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission) Settlement funded, funder

Credits (who made it)

JMIS Kentucky LLC (JMI Sports) Media, 2024-2026 source
Learfield Sub, LLC (Learfield Communications) Media, 2025-2026 source

Executions (individual ads)

Jacob's Story: Growing Into His Best Self | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Alyce's Story: The Real You is The Best You | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Aria's Story: Theater & Finding Your Cool | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Alyssa's Story: Breaking the Cycle of Addiction & Difficult Childhood | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Emma's Story: College & Independence | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Josie's Story: Alcohol Destroyed Part of My Family | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Issabella's Story: Growing and Healing From Trauma | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Bryce's Story: What Hunting Taught Me About Staying Clear-Headed | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Jalonee's Story: Finding Something You Love | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Sharon Lee's Passion Allows Her to Stay on a Positive Path | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
UK's Asia Boone: The Importance of Being Yourself | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Coach Mark Pope: "There is Always Joy Afterwards" | Motivational Promise of Something Greater 2026 · social-paid · youtube
How to Deal with Peer Pressure | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
UK Basketball's Trent Noah: Look Out For The Kentucky Family | Better Without it 2026 · social-paid · youtube
UK Basketball: Coach Pope Reminds You to Choose to Be Better for Yourself | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Trent Noah on Becoming The Role Model Kentucky Kids Need | Prioritizing health & progress 2026 · social-paid · youtube
UK Basketball's Trent Noah: Look Out For The Kentucky Family | Substance Use Prevention & Support 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Trent Noah from fan to Wildcat | University of Kentucky | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
Trent Noah shares the importance of finding a mentor | Better Without It 2026 · social-paid · youtube
The right choices off the court make J'Vonne Hadley a better athlete | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
Gracie's Story: Dealing with Pressure and Life After Losing Her Brother to an Overdose | BWI 2025 · social-paid · youtube
Coach Mark Pope: "You Are NOT Alone" | Finding Support During Tough Times | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
UK Basketball Coach Mark Pope Motivation on Substance Abuse Prevention | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
University of Kentucky Coach Mark Pope | Better Without It Message 2025 · social-paid · youtube
UK player Trent Noah & Coach Mark Pope inspiring message to Kentucky youth | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
UK basketball: Coach Mark Pope & Trent Noah's Better Without It message to KY youth | BWI 2025 · social-paid · youtube
Coach Mark Pope and Trent Noah team up to empower Kentucky youth | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
Why real connection is the best high: Fall activities for mental wellness 2025 · social-paid · youtube
Habits that help Cutter Boley achieve his goals | University of Kentucky | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube
How Noah Grubbs leads his team by example | Better Without It 2025 · social-paid · youtube

Related campaigns

Don't Let Them Die 2017–2019
UNSHAME Kentucky 2022–now

Sources

Research notes

US-KY. Discovered 2026-10-22 for #17. Credits checked 2026-10-22 against fetched pages: JMIS Kentucky LLC and Learfield Sub, LLC (OAG purchase orders, Wayback copies; both are sports-marketing media buys tied to UK, UofL and WKU athletics). Unverified (no page found that credits the agency): the creative/production agency for the videos. Launch date: AP says launched February 2025; one LEX 18 item says 'since its launch in 2023', which looks like an error. Executions are the campaign's YouTube channel (30 videos listed 2026-10-22); years estimated from YouTube's relative upload dates. Campaign website not found. Ad library search: "Better Without It", "Kentucky Attorney General".

Record cases/ky-better-without-it.json, updated 2026-10-22· Link to this campaign