Discrimination and Tobacco Use in LGBTQ Young Adults

Apr.20.2023
Discrimination and Tobacco Use in LGBTQ Young Adults
Tobacco Control is an international journal that studies the effects of tobacco on health, economy, environment, and society.

Tobacco Control is an international journal aimed at studying the nature and consequences of tobacco use worldwide, including its impact on population health, the economy, the environment, and society. The journal seeks to prevent and control the widespread use of tobacco through promoting public knowledge of tobacco, industry ethics, policy-making, and social activism by the tobacco industry and its allies, playing a positive role in these areas. On December 7, 2022, the journal published a paper entitled "Discrimination, Identity Connectedness and Tobacco Use in a Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults".


Source of image: The front page of the December 2022 issue of "Tobacco Control" journal, featuring an article on discrimination, identity affiliation, and smoking behavior among young adults in the LGBTQ community.


The summary of this paper can be translated into standard journalistic English as follows:


Title: Higher Tobacco Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations According to previous research in academia, a widely accepted viewpoint is that sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations have higher smoking rates than heterosexual or cisgender populations. However, there is little research exploring the smoking habits of different racial/ethnic SGM subgroups or the association between SGM-specific discrimination and identity with smoking behavior. A new study in the United States has shown that SGM populations have higher tobacco use rates compared to heterosexual populations. The study also found differences in tobacco use rates among SGM subgroups based on ethnicity and identity.


The research team includes experts and scholars Alex Budenz, Jennifer Gaber, Erik Crankshaw, Andie Malterud, Emily B Peterson, Dana E Wagner, and Emily C Sanders. These individuals come from various organizations, including the Center for Tobacco Products in the Office of Health Communication and Education at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Health Analytics, Media and Policy at RTI International, and the Research Department at Rescue Agency.


Research methodology: This study surveyed 11,313 young American sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults to investigate the associations between different tobacco use methods (including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and tobacco powder) and SGM sub-populations, race/ethnicity, SGM-specific discrimination, and identity. Data analysis was conducted using multiple logistic regression models to predict the relationships between SGM sub-populations, race/ethnicity, SGM-specific discrimination, identity, and various tobacco use methods.


Investigation Results: The study revealed that there are differences in tobacco use among sub-groups of the sexual minority population and between different races/ethnicities. Female homosexuals (especially black female homosexuals) are more likely than average to use multiple tobacco products. White bisexuals and female homosexuals have a higher likelihood of smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes than the average. Severe discrimination is associated with the use of multiple tobacco products, and the more likely SGM groups are to identify with discrimination and tobacco use being positively correlated, the more likely they are to defend their smoking behavior as being reasonable.


Conclusion: This study found differences in tobacco use among SGM subgroups and among different races/ethnicities. Experiencing discrimination may be a risk factor for tobacco use behavior, while a strong sense of SGM identity may provide an explanatory role for certain tobacco use behaviors among gender and sexual minorities and those experiencing specific SGM discrimination. These findings can guide targeted approaches to reach SGM subgroups at higher risk for tobacco use. The researchers call for the development of more comprehensive and precise policies and interventions to eliminate the inequality surrounding this public health issue.


Reference:


Discrimination, Identity Connections, and Tobacco Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults: A Study


Related Reading:


【Science】Latest scientific research clarifies the link between nicotine addiction and human identity cognition.


A recent scientific experiment shows that the flavor of nicotine and marijuana-based electronic cigarette products is a factor in attracting more adolescents to try them.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Smoke-Free Business Hits 42% of Q2 Net Revenue as PMI’s First TNFD Report Covers Single-Use Electronics, Critical Raw Materials and IQOS Repairs
Smoke-Free Business Hits 42% of Q2 Net Revenue as PMI’s First TNFD Report Covers Single-Use Electronics, Critical Raw Materials and IQOS Repairs
Philip Morris International has published its first report aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, bringing its electronics supply chain and the use and end-of-life stages of smoke-free devices and consumables into its nature-related assessment. PMI said its smoke-free business accounted for about 42% of total net revenues in the second quarter of 2026. The report says non-circular electronic products, particularly single-use items, can increase consumption of limited natural resources and also details an IQOS repair pilot. A 2040 circularity scenario tests assumptions including a 50% reduction in product waste-related costs, 10% raw-material savings and a 25% substitution rate for refurbished products versus new products.
Sep.23
FDA Appoints Former Tobacco Enforcement Deputy Jessica Zeller as Director as Agency Weighs PMTA Framework Changes
FDA Appoints Former Tobacco Enforcement Deputy Jessica Zeller as Director as Agency Weighs PMTA Framework Changes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has named Jessica Zeller director of the Center for Tobacco Products' (CTP) Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE), effective November 1, 2026. Zeller, the office's inaugural deputy director, returns from medical device manufacturer Edwards Lifesciences with more than 20 years of regulatory and legal experience. The appointment follows CTP leadership changes and adjustments to tobacco regulation. Bret Koplow became permanent CTP director in September; the FDA revised enforcement priorities for unauthorized e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches in May and announced faster PMTA review procedures. On September 28, the agency said it would evaluate changes to the existing PMTA regulatory framework, including potential rulemaking to replace it.
FDA
Oct.20 by 2Firsts Perspectives
Australia’s Victoria Steps Up Illegal Tobacco Enforcement With Store Closures and Penalties of Up to A$2.5 Million
Australia’s Victoria Steps Up Illegal Tobacco Enforcement With Store Closures and Penalties of Up to A$2.5 Million
Australia’s state of Victoria has activated new powers allowing Tobacco Licensing Victoria and police to shut premises suspected of selling, supplying or possessing illicit tobacco for up to 90 days. Longer closures can be ordered by a magistrates’ court. Businesses subject to closure orders must generally cease all trading and will be placed on a public list. Breaching a closure order can carry penalties of up to A$2.5 million and 20 years in prison.
Sep.10
STIIIZY Redesign Fails to Escape PAX Labs Patent Import Ban as Section 337 Case Also Involves China ALD
STIIIZY Redesign Fails to Escape PAX Labs Patent Import Ban as Section 337 Case Also Involves China ALD
U.S. Customs and Border Protection ruled that STIIIZY had not shown that the redesigned cannabis-vape products covered by its latest request fall outside an ITC limited exclusion order tied to PAX Labs patents. CBP accepted some of STIIIZY’s claim-construction and non-infringement arguments, but the company did not address two additional claims in the same patent. Earlier STIIIZY redesigned cartridges and certain associated components imported with them had received separate CBP clearance.
Sep.16
JAMA Study: U.S. Vape Directories Fail to Sustainably Curb Unlisted Sales as Product Shifts May Redistribute Brand Share 2Firsts Recommended
JAMA Study: U.S. Vape Directories Fail to Sustainably Curb Unlisted Sales as Product Shifts May Redistribute Brand Share 2Firsts Recommended
A study by CDC Foundation researchers found no sustained decline in e-cigarette sales across Alabama, Oklahoma and Louisiana, the first three U.S. states to implement e-cigarette directory laws. Louisiana initially saw a significant sales decline, followed by a rebound and a persistent reduction in product availability. Sales also shifted from nontobacco-flavored disposables toward prefilled cartridges, with Vuse Alto driving much of the increase in menthol cartridges. By April 2025, unlisted products still accounted for more than half of e-cigarette nicotine sales in all three states.
Sep.18
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
FDA Unifies Tobacco Registration and Product Listing Form Across Product Categories
The U.S. FDA has consolidated two tobacco establishment registration and product listing forms into a redesigned Form FDA 3741 covering all regulated product categories, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. The current requirements remain limited to domestic establishments. Separately, the FDA has proposed extending registration and product listing requirements to foreign manufacturers, signaling greater regulatory attention to manufacturing entities and product-level information across the tobacco and nicotine supply chain.
FDA
Sep.30