Health Equity
For decades, priority populations including Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities have been targeted and exploited by the tobacco industry. Their aggressive marketing tactics have contributed to major health disparities within priority populations and have led to tens of thousands of tobacco-related deaths each year.
Tobacco Industry Marketing Tactics in the Hispanic/Latino & LGBTQ+ Community
The tobacco industry has a long history of using targeted marketing tactics to reach specific demographic groups, including the Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. These tactics have been widely criticized for exploiting vulnerable populations and contributing to health disparities.
Here are some of the marketing tactics that have been employed by the tobacco industry to exploit these communities:
Customized Marketing: Tobacco companies tailor their advertising to appeal to the cultural values, traditions, and identity of the Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. This includes using culturally specific symbols, languages, celebrity endorsements and imagery.
Community Events: Tobacco brands often sponsor PRIDE events and Latino cultural festivals, using rainbow-themed packaging and incorporating Latin imagery and cultural tapestry to connect their products with these causes and gain direct access to both communities.
Flavored Tobacco: In their ad campaigns, they often promote the use of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products like “Horchata” to the Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities, as these products are harder to quit and can taste better than traditional tobacco products.
Point of Sale Advertising: Tobacco products are often heavily advertised at the point of sale, including in convenience stores and gas stations in areas with large Hispanic/Latino or LGBTQ+ populations. Eye-catching displays and promotions can encourage impulse purchases.
Both the Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities have higher smoking rates than the general population, and these marketing efforts have played a role in perpetuating these disparities. To counter these strategies, the Breathe Free project is working to raise awareness about the deceptive tactics used by the tobacco industry and promote anti-tobacco initiatives within the IE and Coachella Valley.
The Facts are Startling
LGB adults in California are 47% more likely to have vaped than non-LGB adults.
8.4% of Hispanic Middle School Students reported using e-cigarettes, the highest rate among any other peer group.
Transgender youth in California are 4x more likely to smoke than non-transgender youth.
LGB youth are 2X as likely to smoke a cigarette before they are 13 years old.
U.S. born Hispanic women are more than 2X as likely to smoke compared to foreign-born Hispanic women.
67% of Hispanic/Latino individuals who smoke want to quit smoking; but are less likely to receive advice to quit from a healthcare professional compared to non-Hispanic white adults who smoke.
What Can You Do?
Help us protect the lung health of communities.