ABSTRACT
Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. While overall smoking rates in the United States are down, they remain much higher among certain populations, including people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ). Nationally, 23.9% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults smoke cigarettes, compared to only 16.6% of straight adults (“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Tobacco Use” 2017, 1). Research has shown tobacco use leads to poor health, causes many diseases including cancer and heart disease, and harms nearly every organ in the body (“Health Effects of Cigarette” 2017). While awareness of smoking’s negative health effects is high, many do not realize tobacco use is also a social justice issue for a number of communities, including LGBTQ people. Those who identify as LGBTQ include people of all races, socioeconomic groups, ages, and backgrounds. This chapter cannot unpack social justice and public health issues for all the diverse intersections of this community. Instead, it aims to educate and inform readers about how the tobacco industry targeted and continues to target LGBTQ people, and suggests potential policies to lessen the devastating impact of ongoing tobacco use in LGBTQ communities.
