the impact of cigarettes in minority communities

J.B. HarrisAttorney at Law

Maximizing Outreach to Former

Tobacco Class Members in

Minority CommunitiesTheir Day in Court

February 9, 2007


They’re

Rich,You’re

Dead


Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups A Report of the Surgeon General 1998

“Cigarette smoking is a major cause of disease and death in each of the four population groups studied in this report. African Americans currently bear the greatest health burden. Differences in the magnitude of disease risk are directly related to differences in patterns of smoking.”


Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups A Report of the Surgeon General 1998

“Among adolescents, cigarette smoking prevalence increased in the 1990s among African Americans and Hispanics …This increase is particularly striking among African American youths…”


CDC’s Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS)“Tobacco Industry Influence“Tobacco products are advertised and promoted disproportionately to racial/ethnic minority communities. Examples of target promotions include the introduction of a cigarette product with the brand name “Rio” and an earlier cigarette product named “Dorado,” which was advertised and marketed to the Hispanic American community.”

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_1998/sgr-min-fs-hsp.htm


CDC’s Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS)“Tobacco Industry

“Tobacco Industry Studies have found a higher density of tobacco billboards in racial/ethnic minority communities. For example, a 1993 study in San Diego, California, found the highest proportion of tobacco billboards were posted in Asian American communities and the lowest proportion were in white communities.”

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_1998/sgr-min-fs-asi.htm


CDC’s Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS)“Tobacco Industry Economic Influence“A one-year study found that three major African American publications — Ebony, Jet, and Essence — received proportionately higher profits from cigarette advertisements than did other magazines.”

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_1998/sgr-min-fs-afr.htm


CDC’s Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS)“Tobacco Industry Influence“To build its image and credibility in the community, the tobacco industry targets American Indians and Alaska Natives by funding cultural events such as powwows and rodeos. “The tobacco industry commonly uses cultural symbols and designs to target racial/ethnic populations that include American Indians and Alaska Natives. American Spirit cigarettes were promoted as “natural” cigarettes; the package featured an American Indian smoking a pipe. In addition, certain tobacco product advertisements have used visual images, such as American Indian warriors, to target their product.”

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_1998/sgr-min-fs-nat.htm


Smoking Cessation and Ethnic Minorities: Fighting Back Against Joe CamelJeffrey S. Nevid, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, St. John’s University

“By 1995, nearly 35% of teenagers 17 years of age or younger were smoking, up from 27.5% in 1991. Estimates are that 3,000 young people take up smoking each day. About one in three will eventually die of smoking-related diseases….

“Economically disadvantaged ethnic minority groups have higher than average rates of smoking, especially African American men…. Cigarette companies have also targeted much of their advertising effort toward minority communities, especially African American and Hispanic communities.”

Source: http://www.vincenter.org/96/nevid.html

J.B. HarrisAttorney at LawSource: http://news.ufl.edu/2004/04/27/motherssmoke/

University of Florida NewsUF Study: Mistaken Beliefs About Smoking Moms Can Influence Minorities “GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The illusion of smoking can be just as deadly as the real thing for minority inner-city girls who believe their mothers have the habit, a new University of Florida study finds. Black and Hispanic inner-city girls who think their mothers smoke — even if that is not the case — were three times more likely to have tried cigarettes than girls who know their mothers are nonsmokers, said Julia Graber, a UF psychology professor who did the research with seventh- grade girls.


R.J. Reynolds’ Targeting of African Americans: 1988 - 2000American Journal of Public Health“RJR’s strategy for targeting young adult African Americans had 2 major features. One was the reliance on the image of cigarettes as a “‘classy,’ ‘quality’ product associated with success and the ‘good life’” and an entrée into a “‘fantasy world’ that Black young adult smokers can be part of.” The other was the building of close community relationships through involvement in community-based organizations, corporate giving, and corporate image advertising.”

Source: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1447846


“In a 1988 speech, a senior RJR marketing official noted that

‘Reynolds Tobacco has made a special effort to reach Black Smokers since the early 1960’s…”

“According to the company’s internal documents, RJR has had in place for years special marketing programs designed to reach African Americans, beginning long before Uptown and persisting after Uptown had been canceled.

Source: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1447846


Reducing the Burden of Cancer Borne by African Americans: If Not Now, When?“Tobacco companies target African Americans through advertising in magazines, billboards, sporting events, and other forms of entertainment.…“The American Legacy Foundation’s National Youth Tobacco Survey reports that 24% of African-American high school students and 14% of African-American middle school students regularly use some form of tobacco,…

Source: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol. 12, 270s–276s, March 2003 (Suppl.)


Tobacco Use Among Florida’s Minority PopulationsA1998 survey of Florida youth conducted by the Florida Department of Health found that:“Overall, 24.5% of middle school and 35.5% of high school students reported using some form of tobacco in the past 30 days….“One-third of middle school and 56% of high school students identifying themselves as American Indian or Alaskan Native reported using tobacco in the past 30 days. Tobacco use is highest in this group.”Source: Florida Department of Health, Florida Youth Tobacco Survey,

December 23, 1998


“A reanalysis of nicotine yield from major brand name cigarettes sold in Massachusetts from 1997 to 2005 has confirmed that manufacturers have steadily increased the levels of this agent in cigarettes.”•••

“The analysis was performed by a research team from the Tobacco Control Research Program at HSPH led by program director Gregory Connolly, professor of the practice of public health, and Howard Koh, associate dean for public health practice at HSPH.”


“Said Connolly: “Our findings call into serious question whether the tobacco industry has changed at all in its pursuit of addicting smokers since signing the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 with the State Attorneys General. Our analysis shows that the companies have been subtly increasing the drug nicotine year by year in their cigarettes, without any warning to consumers, since the settlement.”


Anatomy of a Cigarette


What’s in a Cigarette?

4,000 Chemicals: There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco and tobacco smoke, 60 of which are known to cause cancer. Hundreds of those substances are deliberately added to cigarettes by manufacturers for flavor and to make smoking more pleasant, and in some cases, more addictive. Here's a look at just a handful of what you might find in an average cigarette.



Ammonia: To boost the effects of nicotine and thereby make cigarettes more addictive, tobacco companies began to add ammonia to cigarettes in the 1960s.



Honey: Though not clear what effect -- if any -- it has on the human body, honey has been added to some cigarettes to enhance flavor.


Chocolate: Added for flavor, chocolate is a common ingredient in some cigarette brands.




Hydrogen Cyanide: Used on death row inmates in the gas chamber, hydrogen cyanide can be also be found in the secondhand smoke of many cigarettes. It's produced by other chemicals burning in the cigarette.


Arsenic: Often used in pesticides, arsenic is deadly to human beings. Though experts say a large and consistent amount of arsenic is needed to kill a person outright, inhaling it over a long period of time isn't recommended.




Acetone: A common ingredient in nail polish remover and used as a cleaning solvent, acetone is not classified as a carcinogen and therefore not directly linked to cancer. However, exposure to large amounts of acetone can cause dizziness, fainting and even induce a coma.



Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is used mainly to preserve organic tissue, most often in mortuaries to preserve the body before burial. A cancer-causing agent, formaldehyde produces reactions that range from watery eyes to nausea, and can cause difficulty in breathing.

the impact of cigarettes in minority communities

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