Posted on 10/27/2004 11:39:46 AM PDT by presidio9
Gay and lesbian youth, like older LGBT people, may be 40 to 60 percent more likely than their straight peers to smoke cigarettes, according to data presented last week at a conference of gay and lesbian medical professionals.
In a survey of over 12,000 students in grades 7-12, about 8 percent of the respondents indicated having same-sex attractions or same-sex relationships. Of those, nearly 45 percent of females and 35 percent of males reported smoking. Among those who did not report same-sex attractions, 29 percent -- both males and females -- were smokers.
The survey was conducted by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), and the results were presented at the annual conference of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), held Oct. 21-23 in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
"I am deeply concerned about the Add Health study findings," said Kenneth Haller, M.D., president of GLMA. "Although the findings are consistent with previous literature showing higher rates of smoking among GLB youth, GLMA hopes the conclusions will help to catalyze the community."
A Harris Interactive poll in 2001 found that 36 percent of respondents who self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender were smokers, as compared with 25 percent of all adults surveyed. Several factors may contribute to the higher prevalence, such as higher levels of social stress, frequent patronage of bars and clubs and direct targeting of LGBT consumers by tobacco companies.
In the same poll, LGBT smokers who tried to quit said they attempted and failed eight times to quit smoking, on average.
Helen Lettlow, assistant vice president for priority populations at the American Legacy Foundation (ALF), acknowledged that quitting smoking is tough, but she said the important part is to keep trying.
"There are several factors that are helpful in quitting: creating a plan that includes setting a quit date, having the support of your family and friends, utilizing online or telephone counseling and seeing a medical professional to learn if there are medications that can help," she told the PlanetOut Network.
"Gay youth may find that Internet-based counseling and support boost their likelihood of success due to the anonymity. QuitNet.com is one such resource," she added, referring to one of the Web sites supported by ALF.
ya but what about cigarettes?
The monetary awards granted to the states at the expense of those who smoke was nothing but the simple prostitution of the politicians and lawyers to get another fix on the money drug. In NC, most of the money taken from the tobacco companies has / is being used for other things other than what the states said they were going to do with it. (i.e. health care and anti-smoking campaigns). Most states have agreed to take less in order to get more money ASAP.
Get the picture?
The settlement is a hugh joke.
As a 72 year old,educated,smoking Freeper,I don't know what to say about your comments.
I'm not in denial nor am I denying the reality, however you made the statement and I just wanted to know what you were basing your opinion upon. So many of the fanatics just make that declaration to show their superiority without basing it upon facts and figures.
You are perfectly correct about the regressivity of tobacco taxes, however I disagree with you on the $12 martini locations.......they tend to attrack a high number of cigar smokers.
However the same correlation, based upon the assumptions of this article, would not hold true for the homosexual community, as they also have a high proportion of highly educated successful high earners.
I've been fighting cigarette tax increases and smoker bans for so long that sometimes I get ahead of myself and come across the wrong way. My apologies if I was offensive. That was not my intent.
I was talking about your comment about what others might think of you.................. :)
And stupid "studies" like this is where a lot of that money is going.
Please don't get me started on the money..............
Brings new meaning to the phrase "smokin a joint".
Believe me when I say. I am never mistaken as a member of the other team.
I know that my FRiend, believe me, I know that!!!
That is why I am comfortable saying such absurd things as quiting smoking so I don't look gay.
Bush' fault.......
One of the bigwigs of the anti-smoker movement is gay and an outspoken proponent for gay adoptions....but is against adoption by smokers...........thus my original Joe Cherner reference.
I didn't want to ask who the heck that was.
Right. Smoker bashing is OK. For the most part, I am as intolerant of people's critical comments about my smoking, as they are intolerant of my smoking.
They want to stay slim and beyooootiful...
Now you know.
He considers himself and his "partner" more fit to be parents than my husband and I, or you for the sole reason we are smokers.
Knock on wood, since moving to Virginia from Delaware, I encounter little such intolerance.
But your daughter has a clear picture of a male and a female role model, rather that a couple of rump rangers. Oh I get it now! Children should be confused about who and what they are so they can be suicidal and reckless.
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