New study examines young LGBT smokers

A new report from the National LGBTQ Young Adult Tobacco Project, entitled "Coming Out About Smoking: Tobacco Use in the LGBTQ Young Adult Community" and released Aug. 24, revealed that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young adults have higher rates of smoking than their heterosexual peers. Results indicated that the disparity could be due to the added pressure and stress gay teens experience as a result of anti-LGBT discrimination at school and at home.

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) received funding in the summer of 2009 from the American Legacy Foundation's Small Innovative Grants program to perform the nationwide research project. Nearly 1,000 LGBT young adults (ages 18 - 24) responded either to paper surveys or online. The results led NYAC and the National LGBTQ Young Adult Tobacco Project to call for "the development of culturally appropriate prevention, treatment, and public policy initiatives aimed at reducing tobacco use disparities based on sexual and gender identities."

While the majority of respondents indicated that they would prefer to date a non-smoker, 42 percent reported that they are current smokers, with 20 percent of non-smokers identifying themselves as "social smokers." Social aspects of smoking within LGBT youth communities were examined, and led the researchers to determine that "smoking is a social activity that is embedded into the fabric of the LGBTQ young adult community." According to the researchers, the respondents view smoking as "a vehicle for bonding over the stresses of being discriminated against for being LGBTQ at school and with their families and friends."

87 percent of respondents indicated that they smoke cigarettes when stressed, and 83 percent said they are more likely to smoke when drinking. Most of the respondents were categorized as "light smokers" and reported smoking fewer than ten cigarettes every day.

The survey's conclusions showed a need to collect more data pertaining to intersex, transgender, and LGBT communities of color. The participating organizations urged local advocacy groups to partner with the National LGBT Tobacco Control Network, the American Legacy Foundation, and the American Lung Association in order to provide LGBT young people with tobacco education and smoking prevention and cessation programs.

For more information, please visit www.tobacco.nyacyouth.org.