Tobacco-Related Disparities in Specific Populations

Research

A population-based examination of cigarette smoking and mental illness in black Americans
New research published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research indicates that mental illness is strongly associated with tobacco use among black Americans. A total of 3,411 adult blacks participating in the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Life were assessed for smoking and quitting history, and for lifetime, past year, or past month history of mental disorders. The researchers found there was a higher smoking prevalence and lower quit rate among participants with any history of mental disorders than those without a history of mental illness. The odds of being a current smoker were 1.76 for those with mental illness in their lifetime, 1.57 for those experiencing mental illness in the past year, and 2.20 for those experiencing mental illness in the past month. Those reporting past-year mental illness tended to smoke more heavily than other smokers, and those with past-year or past-month mental illness were less likely to have quit smoking for at least a year (odds ratios of 0.72 and 0.54, respectively). The results show that mental illness among blacks may be a barrier to cessation. Click here to read more.

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Reports

Much heated puffing among minority groups over menthol cigarette ban
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has joined with anti-tobacco group Legacy, the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council to support a full ban on the use of menthol in cigarettes. The NAACP referred to the disproportionate marketing and use of menthol cigarettes among African Americans as the rationale for supporting a full ban. The announcement came days after three African American organizations, the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, spoke out against a ban due to concerns about creating an illegal market for the products that could promote other illegal activity and strain law enforcement. Click here to read more about the debate among minority groups, or read the press release from the NAACP and Legacy.

Costs of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in California American Indian communities (CA)
A new report from researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles provides key data on tobacco use among American Indians in California, estimating the healthcare and productivity costs of smoking for American Indians in California at $795 million a year. This report is intended to empower American Indian communities in California to formulate tobacco prevention and control strategies and policies to promote healthier tribal communities. The report differentiates between sacred and commercial tobacco use, and contains data on the prevalence of commercial tobacco use and associated risk factors, health effects, and economic costs. The report concludes with a rationale for addressing tobacco use through policy efforts and a listing of key policies for tribes to pursue. The report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Click here to read a press release, or click here to download the report.

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