Don’t let your good health go up in smoke

Woman breaking cigaretteBY JACQUETTA BROOKS, MSW
Tagg Magazine

Since the 1980s, the tobacco industry has targeted gays and lesbians in their marketing. “Big Tobacco” exploits our sexuality by eroticizing tobacco use in ads and attempts to gain our trust by posing as “friends” of the community. This industry spends about $14 billion a year on marketing, focusing on us by advertising in our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media; sponsoring our community events; and aligning itself with the community on social issues we are passionate about, such as marriage equality.

We all know it isn’t always easy being queer, and some may start smoking to take the edge off. According to national polls, LGBT women smoke up to 200 percent more than their heterosexual counterparts. Furthermore, research suggests that this may be due to the stress of social stigma or the social norms within the LGBT community.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.

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