According to the American Cancer Society, 59 percent of LGBT youth use tobacco, compared with 35 percent of non-LGBT teens. (Also, 56 percent of lesbians smoke, as opposed to 42 percent of heterosexual women. Meanwhile, 42 percent of gay men smoke while only 29 percent of men in the general population do so.) In addition, research shows that smoking accelerates the onset of AIDS among HIV-positive individuals. Lastly, there is increasing evidence that the tobacco industry has repeatedly targeted the LGBT community through advertisements and even moves such as campaign contributions to LGBT politicians.
With facts like those, the National LGBTI Anti-Tobacco Summit [the ‘I’ is for Intersex] —which took place May 3 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago—took on even more relevancet. The summit was part of the larger National Conference on Tobacco or Health, which was held May 4-6.
Juan Carlos Velazquez, research/training director of The Praxis Project, which tackles tobacco use through a social justice framework, told Windy City Times that combating tobacco use ‘takes more than just knowing the harm. It’s about changing communities. It’s not just about understanding the health implications but the economic and social justice [ramifications] as well.’
Donald Hitchcock, national field director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health, said the summit was necessary to ‘give the LGBT community a voice within the larger summit.’ He stated that ‘what we think we need to focus on is the impact that smoking has on friends and family. When you’re in a bar or restaurant… it’s not your choice to breathe that air and, unfortunately, you’re being forced to breathe that person’s cigarette smoke.’
Approximately 100 people attended the summit, which dealt with updates in areas ranging from research to advocacy. One of the topics discussed was the National LGBT Communities Tobacco Action Plan, which aims to combat the disproportionate tobacco use via a multi-pronged approach. — Andrew Davis