For years, tobacco has targeted African Americans, the LGBTQ community, people of lower socio-economic means and those with mental illness, for whom the smoking rate is higher than the national average according to truth initiative in partnership with the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The thing is, mental illness is incredibly prevalent in these all three of these communities.
The tobacco industry has historically marketed cigarettes specifically to the seriously mentally ill — and has developed relationships with homeless shelters and advocacy groups to gain positive media coverage and political support — individuals struggling with mental health account for 44% to 46% of cigarettes sold in the United States, and the tobacco industry even funded research to show that persons with mental illness use nicotine to self-medicate.
“If they are focusing on a population who is currently feeling insecure and anxious about their safety given the scary political climate, they are capitalizing on their fear in more than one way. These are the populations who feel more marginalized and are more likely to feel relief from cigarettes and e-cigarettes, which are a huge thing for teen girls these days,” says psychotherapist Emily Roberts.
In the U.S., people living below the poverty level and who have lower levels of education have higher rates of cigarette smoking than the general population. Worrying about money is a big stressor for many, which is why it makes sense that cigarette smoking disproportionately affects the health of people with low Socio Economic Status (SES), and that those smokers statistically suffer more from diseases caused by smoking than do smokers with higher incomes.
“Tobacco companies often target their advertising campaigns toward low-income neighborhoods and communities, and researchers have found a higher density of tobacco retailers in low-income neighborhoods,” Truth said in a statement.
Additionally, LGBTQ young adults ages 18 to 24, are almost twice as likely to smoke as their straight and cisgender peers. Historically, we know that the marketing campaign, Project SCUM (Sub-Culture Urban Marketing), was created in the mid-1990s by a tobacco company to target LGBTQ and homeless populations.
Unfortunately, little information still exists on cigarette smoking prevalence among transgender people; however, this population is considered especially vulnerable because of high rates of substance abuse, depression, HIV infection, and social and employment discrimination, all of which are associated with higher smoking prevalence. More than 30,000 LGBTQ persons die each year of tobacco-related diseases, and industry documents show that tobacco companies were aware of high smoking rates among these communities, and marketing plans illustrate the companies’ efforts to exploit the LGBTQ market.
“When we feel afraid or scared our brains become wired to seek out pleasure and safety. Most of the teens I've been talking to in the past few months have been struggling to hold it together due to the new administration,” Roberts said. “Women and the LGBTQ community especially have higher anxiety levels, [because they] have been traumatized and/or feel a constant urge to be connected to the news. Why? Because their brains are signaling that they are not safe.”
Additionally, LGBTQ individuals are less likely to have health insurance than straight individuals, which may negatively affect health as well as access to cessation treatments, including counseling and medication, and high rates of tobacco use within the LGBTQ community are due in part to the aggressive marketing by tobacco companies that sponsor events, bar promotions, giveaways, and advertisements.
We often hear that people smoke more when they're stressed, but studies have found that while nicotine may make you think you’re de-stressing, it actually increases your heart rate, tenses your muscles, and decreases the amount of oxygen to your brain, which could be utilized to effectively think things through or utilize healthier coping skills. In other words, it actually makes you more stressed, physically.
Scientifically, Roberts says, it makes sense that these groups would smoke more when they are feeling “stressed.” When we are stuck in fear-based thinking, our brain feels traumatized and seeks pleasure, and that's what the neurotransmitter dopamine does — and, smoking is a quick release of dopamine.
“This is why smoking occurs; it’s a release of dopamine instantly. Dopamine is a chemical produced in the brain which has been associated with pleasure and reward, and as it is released when smoking tobacco, it is thought that this part of the reason for the addictive nature of smoking,” Roberts says.
Tobacco companies have historically placed larger amounts of advertising in African American publications, exposing African Americans to more cigarette ads than white people, and use price promotions such as discounts and multi-pack coupons — which are most often used by African Americans and other minority groups, women, and young people — to increase sales. Additionally, areas with large racial/ethnic minority populations tend to have more tobacco retailers located within them, which contributes to greater tobacco advertising exposure.
In 2014, among middle and high school students, it was found that 70.5% of African American smokers use menthol cigarettes, compared to 51.4% of White smokers and 52.3% of Hispanic smokers, which is why menthol products are given more shelf space in retail outlets within African American and other minority neighborhoods.
“In general, cultural notions and habits condition how we think and act in ways we are not always conscious about,” said Dr. Maria Bruce. “In some cultures, seeing a therapist or asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness or a source of shame, so people utilize the coping tools they see others frequently using in their surroundings, and not always take the time to analyze if they are actually positive or effective for them.”
The thing is, mental illness is incredibly prevalent in these all three of these communities.
The tobacco industry has historically marketed cigarettes specifically to the seriously mentally ill — and has developed relationships with homeless shelters and advocacy groups to gain positive media coverage and political support — individuals struggling with mental health account for 44% to 46% of cigarettes sold in the United States, and the tobacco industry even funded research to show that persons with mental illness use nicotine to self-medicate.
“If they are focusing on a population who is currently feeling insecure and anxious about their safety given the scary political climate, they are capitalizing on their fear in more than one way. These are the populations who feel more marginalized and are more likely to feel relief from cigarettes and e-cigarettes, which are a huge thing for teen girls these days,” says psychotherapist Emily Roberts.
In the U.S., people living below the poverty level and who have lower levels of education have higher rates of cigarette smoking than the general population. Worrying about money is a big stressor for many, which is why it makes sense that cigarette smoking disproportionately affects the health of people with low Socio Economic Status (SES), and that those smokers statistically suffer more from diseases caused by smoking than do smokers with higher incomes.
“Tobacco companies often target their advertising campaigns toward low-income neighborhoods and communities, and researchers have found a higher density of tobacco retailers in low-income neighborhoods,” Truth said in a statement.
Additionally, LGBTQ young adults ages 18 to 24, are almost twice as likely to smoke as their straight and cisgender peers. Historically, we know that the marketing campaign, Project SCUM (Sub-Culture Urban Marketing), was created in the mid-1990s by a tobacco company to target LGBTQ and homeless populations.
Unfortunately, little information still exists on cigarette smoking prevalence among transgender people; however, this population is considered especially vulnerable because of high rates of substance abuse, depression, HIV infection, and social and employment discrimination, all of which are associated with higher smoking prevalence. More than 30,000 LGBTQ persons die each year of tobacco-related diseases, and industry documents show that tobacco companies were aware of high smoking rates among these communities, and marketing plans illustrate the companies’ efforts to exploit the LGBTQ market.
“When we feel afraid or scared our brains become wired to seek out pleasure and safety. Most of the teens I've been talking to in the past few months have been struggling to hold it together due to the new administration,” Roberts said. “Women and the LGBTQ community especially have higher anxiety levels, [because they] have been traumatized and/or feel a constant urge to be connected to the news. Why? Because their brains are signaling that they are not safe.”
Additionally, LGBTQ individuals are less likely to have health insurance than straight individuals, which may negatively affect health as well as access to cessation treatments, including counseling and medication, and high rates of tobacco use within the LGBTQ community are due in part to the aggressive marketing by tobacco companies that sponsor events, bar promotions, giveaways, and advertisements.
We often hear that people smoke more when they're stressed, but studies have found that while nicotine may make you think you’re de-stressing, it actually increases your heart rate, tenses your muscles, and decreases the amount of oxygen to your brain, which could be utilized to effectively think things through or utilize healthier coping skills. In other words, it actually makes you more stressed, physically.
Scientifically, Roberts says, it makes sense that these groups would smoke more when they are feeling “stressed.” When we are stuck in fear-based thinking, our brain feels traumatized and seeks pleasure, and that's what the neurotransmitter dopamine does — and, smoking is a quick release of dopamine.
“This is why smoking occurs; it’s a release of dopamine instantly. Dopamine is a chemical produced in the brain which has been associated with pleasure and reward, and as it is released when smoking tobacco, it is thought that this part of the reason for the addictive nature of smoking,” Roberts says.
Tobacco companies have historically placed larger amounts of advertising in African American publications, exposing African Americans to more cigarette ads than white people, and use price promotions such as discounts and multi-pack coupons — which are most often used by African Americans and other minority groups, women, and young people — to increase sales. Additionally, areas with large racial/ethnic minority populations tend to have more tobacco retailers located within them, which contributes to greater tobacco advertising exposure.
In 2014, among middle and high school students, it was found that 70.5% of African American smokers use menthol cigarettes, compared to 51.4% of White smokers and 52.3% of Hispanic smokers, which is why menthol products are given more shelf space in retail outlets within African American and other minority neighborhoods.
“In general, cultural notions and habits condition how we think and act in ways we are not always conscious about,” said Dr. Maria Bruce. “In some cultures, seeing a therapist or asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness or a source of shame, so people utilize the coping tools they see others frequently using in their surroundings, and not always take the time to analyze if they are actually positive or effective for them.”
Resource : http://www.teenvogue.com/story/tobacco-companies-target-people-struggling-with-mental-health
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