ARTICLE:
While doing some research on smoking this topic caught my eye. It was published in Massachusetts Daily Collegian, and presents a very compelling question; with the prevalence of smoking in the LGBT community being so high, is it a gay issue? For those unacquainted, gay men are 50% more likely than heterosexual men to smoke, and lesbians are 70% more likely than straight women to smoke. As a whole, smoking rates in the gay community can be any where from 50-200% higher than among heterosexual people. It's a more complex issue, however, that goes far deeper than just a high concentration of smokers. Tobacco companies heavily court minority communities, including the LGBT, and use the stress that comes from not being part of the majority, coming out, grappling with identity, etc., to sell their product. They also contribute to pride festivals, clubs, and AIDs research, creating a knotted situation where they are "helping" the gay community all while selling them cancer. Smoking has become almost part of the gay identity, where smoking cigarettes is the norm and a way to be included in a group experience that often includes bars and clubs. A very interesting top level look at how this groups is disproportionately targeted and made victim of tobacco companies.
SITE: http://dailycollegian.com/2013/01/31/is-tobacco-a-gay-issue/
