TAKE ACTION: SMOKING
The tobacco industry targets the LGBT community and, especially LGBT youth with cigarette advertising. One campaign by R.J. Reynold's was called Project SCUM (that's Sub-Culture Urban Market) and targeted LGBT neighborhoods.Smoking greatly impacts the LGBT community:
- LGB men and women are fifty to one hundred percent more likely than heterosexual men and women to smoke cigarettes.
- Exposure to second-hand smoke or involuntary tobacco smoke is bad for your health.
- Transgender people have the highest smoking rates within the LGBT community, and smoking inhibits healing after sexual reassignment surgery.
High rates of smoking negatively impact LGBT health:
- LGBT people have a higher risk of tobacco-related health problems including heart disease, asthma, lung cancer, anal cancer, and esophageal and breast cancer.
- Smoking increases the risk of blood clots in transwomen who take estrogen.
- Smoking increases the risk of heart disease in transmen who take testosterone.
Together, we can decrease tobacco use in our community by:
- Making smoke-free places and spaces. Ask your neighborhood bars, cafes, and restaurants to go smoke free if they haven't already. They'll see an increase in business.
- Supporting friends and family. Having supportive friends and family is an important part of quitting.
- Resist industry sponsorship. Industry sponsorship increases smoking rates and provides free advertising to an industry that profits from ruining our community's health.
- Say no to tobacco industry education campaigns. Most stop smoking campaigns designed by the tobacco industry actually increase smoking.
- Include evidence-based anti-smoking campaigns. If your organization has programs on health, nutrition, education, safety or anything else - include information on tobacco.
If you smoke, here are some steps you can take to help improve your health:
- Set a quit date
- Make a quit plan with free help from the Quit Line at 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669)
- Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about nicotine-replacement products that can help you quit
- Get support from family, friends and other support networks in your community.
- Know that quitting now will improve your health
- If you are taking hormones, smoking may cause blood clots. Blood clots can be fatal.
- If you are planning surgery, it may be a good time to quit.
- If you are planning on becoming pregnant, know that smoking can hurt your baby.
- Identify specific ways to deal with temptations, especially when you go out.
TAKE ACTION! Smoking hurts you and your community!
For more information, please see:
The Mautner Project
(www.mautnerproject.org)
National LGBT Tobacco
Control Network (http://www.lgbttobacco.org/)