The American Lung Association recently released a report entitled "Smoking Out a Deadly Threat: Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community" that highlights the higher level of tobacco use among the LGBT community and demonstrates the need for more LGBT specific data. According to a press release, gay, bisexual and transgender men are two to two and a half times more likely to smoke than heterosexual men; lesbian, bisexual and transgender women are one and a half to two times more likely to smoke than heterosexual women; and bisexual youth are significantly more likely to smoke than either straight or gay youth. "We've included specific data from six reports with six states within the report itself," said Bill Blatt, director of tobacco programs for the American Lung Association.
"The majority of surveys and studies about tobacco use do not collect information on sexual orientation and gender identity," said Blatt. "As a result, there is a significant information gap." On top of the same risk factors for smoking experienced by the general population, the LGBT population experiences higher levels of stress due to homophobia and stigmas. Higher levels of stress lead to an increase in smoking rates, he added.
Another possible factor is tobacco companies' marketing campaigns that target LGBT people. Project SCUMan ad "campaign that took place in the mid-'90s and stands for Sub-Culture Urban Marketing"was focused on the LGBT population, among other marginalized groups, according to Blatt.
A lack of attention to tobacco has led to the problem's growth within the LGBT community. One organization that is working against that trend is Howard Brown's Health Center's "It's a Bitch to Quit" smoking-cessation program. "Part of the Bitch to Quit program is getting the information out to people on how tobacco companies have targeted LGBT people in general," Karyn Haney, Bitch to Quit project manager, told Windy City Times. "I think it does help knowing that they've been specifically targeted."
It's a Bitch to Quit is Chicago's only LGBT smoking-cessation group, according to its web page, which can be found on Howard Brown's website, www.howardbrown.org . "The main difference is that we are non-judgmental and very welcoming to the LGBT community," said Haney. "You don't have to hide who you areyou can just be who you are and show up, basically."
Five years ago when Haney was quitting, she appreciated the group atmosphere. "It was important that I felt very comfortable talking about anything because a lot of emotions come up when you quit smoking because it has become your best friend basicallysomeone you can rely on through good and through bad," said Haney. "So when you start letting that go, it's nice to have a support group there to sort of take its place."
Smoking-cessation rates are not high for any such program, but Haney said Bitch to Quit has a higher success rate. "I feel that every person that quits smoking and stays quit is just a huge success because of how difficult it is," she said.