Raising Awareness Of
Smoking In The LGBT Community

(How Big Tobacco Targets LGBT People)

Learn More

Smoking In The LGBT Community Is 70% Higher Than The Global Average

Learn how we can combat this disparity

70% Higher

The LGBT community has a 70% higher rate of smoking than the global average. This is a statistic that is too high and needs to be lowered

Why?

Big tobacco is specifically targeting the LGBT community with their marketing efforts. Sneaky underhand tactics are targeting those coming out.

What Can We Do?

Educating people on their high levels of risk and raising awareness about this disparity are the first steps to a healthier longer life.

ABOUT
Today the tobacco companies are heavily restricted on how and where they can advertise unlike 20 years ago.

With the ever shrinking space they are allowed to market themselves in, they are turning to more underhand tactics that target specific groups of people. One of these groups (among many) is the LGBT community

Through targeted product placement and indirect advertising they are attempting to create the image of a LGBT person being more attractive if they smoke.

(If you haven't noticed the marketing yet, keep an eye out for it. It will not take you long to see an example. Subtle, indirect, but ever present.)

Some more obvious examples of this targeting is tobacco companies advertising at PRIDE events and sponsoring LGBT organizations.

Unfortunately these underhand marketing tactics seem to be working.

The rate of smoking among LGBT individuals is 70% higher than the global average.

While vast improvements in the attitudes of society have been made, coming out can be a stressful and nervous time for a LGBT person.

During times of stress people are much more at risk of becoming addicted to various substances.

Big tobacco and their guerrilla marketing teams know this, and try to make sure it is tobacco that "helps" calm the stress.
SUPPORT
With the vast array of LGBT societal issues that still need work to be resolved, the higher rate of smoking in the LGBT community is often something that is overlooked. There are "bigger fish to fry" so to speak.

As a tobacco cessation project, we want to do our part.

Education of the guerrilla marketing used by big tobacco, and making members of the LGBT community aware that they are being targeted is key. Hopefully enabling people to be on guard for the sneaky product placements and website adverts that are all too common today.

Dedicated cessation campaigns (such as this one) should also be developed for the LGBT community as a whole. Dealing with the specific issues that are relevant to the LGBT community. Part of this additional resource drive should include more campaigns specifically focusing on people who are coming out. We need to stop big tobacco creating smokers out of people who are going through what can be a very stressful time.

At the bottom of this page we have included a list of free LGBT specific cessation resources for anyone wishing to get further information or support.

If you have any other questions about this awareness campaign, please get in contact with us using the email address here

lgbt@quitza.com