Question of the Week
February 19th, 2009 | Tobacco Behavior Questions for you! |In Minnesota, LGBTQ individuals smoke at a much higher rate than the general population. Why do you think this is?
In Minnesota, LGBTQ individuals smoke at a much higher rate than the general population. Why do you think this is?
I think it is because all of my friends smoke, and because we all go to the bars so often. I mean, if I quit drinking maybe I can quit smoking, but it is hard. I wish we could all quit smoking together. That would help.
According to the National LGBT Tobacco Control Network, “Several factors such as higher levels of social stress, frequent patronage of bars and clubs, higher rates of alcohol and drug use, and direct targeting of LGBT consumers by the tobacco industry may be related to higher prevalence rates of tobacco use among some LGBT people.”
I have found that smoking is more acceptable in the LGBT community, especially in certain segments like youth or certain ‘genders’ such as butches or gay men who go to bars a lot. Maybe these segments don’t feel spoken to by all the straight-themed stop smoking ads?