Why do gay teenagers smoke more than their non-gay peers? How are tobacco companies targeting the LGBT community, and what are we doing to fight back? Tune in to the Out in the Bay radio program tonight at 7pm on KALW 91.7 FM or www.kalw.org. Brian Davis of BUTT OUT! will discuss these and other questions important to our community’s health.
A prominent topic of discussion will be the problem of LGBTQ youth smoking. Smoking is a pervasive problem among LGBTQ youths. Existing research indicates the rate of smoking among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) youths exceeds the general population’s. LGBTQ young adults (18-24 years old) smoke at a 43.7% rate compared to 16.6% of all young adults. LGBTQ high school youth in the San Francisco Unified School District smoke at a 22% rate compared to a 7% rate for non-LGBTQ youth.
There are a number of reasons for the increased rate in smoking including stress, habitual substance abuse, socializing in smoky venues, and tobacco marketing.
A 16 year-old Caucasian/African American lesbian interviewed in a recent study described some of the tensions involved in being queer and in picking up smoking:
Something about being gay or questioning—it
messes with your head. … And the next thing you know, you
are just looking for something to get your mind
off it—even if it is just for a minute…. Maybe I’ll
just smoke a cigarette. Especially when you start
it, you get a buzz; and it is just something to keep
your mind off everything for a little while.
There is a need for culturally specific approaches to prevention and cessation. Highlighting the positive attributes of nonsmokers and nonsmoking might prove useful in prevention campaigns.
Listen in tonight and learn more about the problem and possible solutions!
LGBTQ and 18-24 Years Old? Youth Tobacco Survey Needs Your Help!
Queer and 18-24 with a view about LGBT smoking? Take the NYAC tobacco survey before its too late to win a gift card! The National Youth Advocacy Coalition wants to know about LGBTQ youth experiences and feelings about tobacco. Participation in the survey enters the participant in a drawing for an American Express Gift Card: 10 cards worth $50, 5 cards worth $100 and 1 card worth $150. Visit www.tobaccosurvey.nyacyouth.org for more details, to fill out the survey, and to enter to win the big prizes! Hurry now – the survey ends February 28.
Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Second-hand smoking ordinance hearing next Monday, February 22, 1pm at City Hall!
I hate going to outdoor dining areas and having my dinner interrupted by a neighbor's smoke. Marlboro Reds just don't go with filet mignon - or anything else for that matter. A night at the movies is similarly dampened when I have to breathe noxious fumes from someone upstream in the waiting line. I want to unleash some silver screen super hero whoop-ass when the odor hits my olfactory senses. Second hand smoke is a nuisance and a threat to my health. It is a public health concern that all San Franciscans are challenged with.
Educate yourself on the ordinance below and if you feel like making your voice heard, come down to the hearing and comment.
Legislation that would expand the non-smoking areas in San Francisco will be discussed by the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee on February 22. The ordinance, introduced by Supervisor Eric Mar, would represent a far reaching effort to reduce second hand smoke in public accommodations. Amendments to address business concerns, particularly bar owner concerns, are expected to be voted on. If the ordinance passes, San Francisco will become one of 18 Bay Area cities that protect citizens from second hand smoke hazards in public areas. San Francisco will also follow a nationwide trend. As of April 2009, there were 37 states with some form of smoking ban.
Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke given off by the burning end of a tobacco product and the smoke exhaled by the smoker. Research has generated evidence that secondhand smoke causes the same problems as direct smoking. Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult nonsmokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. In the United States, secondhand smoke is thought to cause about 46,000 heart disease deaths each year. Extensive scientific research has shown that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Locally, secondhand smoke represents dangers to patrons. For example, secondhand smoke levels from outdoor dining areas at two unnamed cafes in North Beach are considered dangerous by the EPA (see picture).
The proposed ordinance would update Article 19F of the San Francisco Health Code, the landmark legislation adopted in 1994 that protects residents and visitors from second hand smoke. The ordinance bans smoking in a number of venues. Some of the areas where the ban would take effect are dining areas, movie lines and building entrances. San Francisco's ordinance would break new ground in the effort to reduce second hand smoke among citizens.
Some businesses argue that the smoking ban will harm their business by turning off patrons who want to enjoy some poisonous fumes with their dinner, drink, or what have you. These fears are unfounded. More patrons will flock to businesses once they know that the establishment will be safe and pleasing without cigarette smoke. A 2006 review by the U.S. Surgeon General found that smoking bans were unlikely to harm businesses in practice, and that many restaurants and bars might see increased business. According to the 2004 Zagat survey, which polled nearly 30,000 New York City restaurant patrons, respondents said by a margin of almost 6 to 1 that they eat out more often now because of the city's smoke-free policy. San Francisco's businesses as well as patrons can gain from passage of the second hand smoke ordinance.
Stay tuned for updates on the ordinance. There is a lot to learn and gain!
Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
As if secondhand smoke were not bad enough...
Do you know how tobacco smoke gets everywhere? In a person's hair, on their clothes, on furniture and the walls? I have to totally fumigate my belongings after visiting my sister's house. Lingering tobacco smoke marks a place like a scarlet letter.
It now looks like the lingering smoke is dangerous in addition to being stinky. Researchers have recently found that smoke that settles on surfaces interacts with those surfaces to create cancer causing chemicals that don’t even exist in tobacco smoke alone! Check out an article discussing the findings here: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aTVcuy71TmGE.
The findings are a double whammy for smokers and nonsmokers alike. Not only does the smoker inhale dangerous chemicals directly from the cigarette, but now the smoker is inhaling dangerous chemicals generated by the smoke that sticks to the furniture. Nonsmokers have to deal with this danger too in addition to dealing with the hazards of inhaling smokers' noxious fumes.
Researchers don't know how "thirdhand" smoke, as they are calling it, factors into the global death and illness rate suffered by people suffering from tobacco related illnesses, but I'm sure more work will be done in this area to pin down the impact of this phenomenon. I personally cringe at the thought of what my siblings and I were exposed to growing up. Both of my parents smoked heavily in the house and in the car. Smoke was everywhere. If only my parents had a better appreciation of the risks involved in their smoking. Their habit wasn't just about them individually. My brother has two little girls now. He is a smoker but doesn't smoke in the house. The is better than nothing, but he should know about the study and how having smoke on himself poses a risk alone. How scary!
Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
It now looks like the lingering smoke is dangerous in addition to being stinky. Researchers have recently found that smoke that settles on surfaces interacts with those surfaces to create cancer causing chemicals that don’t even exist in tobacco smoke alone! Check out an article discussing the findings here: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aTVcuy71TmGE.
The findings are a double whammy for smokers and nonsmokers alike. Not only does the smoker inhale dangerous chemicals directly from the cigarette, but now the smoker is inhaling dangerous chemicals generated by the smoke that sticks to the furniture. Nonsmokers have to deal with this danger too in addition to dealing with the hazards of inhaling smokers' noxious fumes.
Researchers don't know how "thirdhand" smoke, as they are calling it, factors into the global death and illness rate suffered by people suffering from tobacco related illnesses, but I'm sure more work will be done in this area to pin down the impact of this phenomenon. I personally cringe at the thought of what my siblings and I were exposed to growing up. Both of my parents smoked heavily in the house and in the car. Smoke was everywhere. If only my parents had a better appreciation of the risks involved in their smoking. Their habit wasn't just about them individually. My brother has two little girls now. He is a smoker but doesn't smoke in the house. The is better than nothing, but he should know about the study and how having smoke on himself poses a risk alone. How scary!
Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Butt Out is Busy Busy!
Butt Out is busy about town. Here's the scoop on what is happening with the group recently:
NCLR just adopted an anti-tobacco policy!
The National Center for Lesbian Rights, NCLR, became the latest organization in the San Francisco Bay Area to adopt a policy not to take tobacco money. The total number of community organizations who have adopted policies is now 20. We are proud to have a national organization like NCLR adopting a policy. This move is in keeping with their progressive work for justice. Go NCLR!
Butt Out is presenting to the School of the Arts GSA.
The School of the Arts in San Francisco has one of the highest incidents of smoking among teens. Butt Out will be presenting to their GSA about smoking in advance of the start of the cessation group at the school. It is essential to reach out to LGBT youth - 43.7% of our LGBT youth smoke. Wish us luck!
Watch out for Butt-Out at 18th and Castro February 20th.
Butt Out will be reaching out to the public February 20th at the corner of 18th St and Castro from 10-12pm (weather permitting). Butt Out will educate passersbys about the hazards of smoking, hand out literature about smoking cessation and gather valuable survey information about smoking in our community. We will also be signing up new supporters. One of the helpers on hand will be Travis the pit bull. Our little mascot will bow and wag and shake hands for the good fight Butt Out is waging.
Butt Out spoke out at the second hand smoke ordinance hearing.
City Hall is debating an ordinance aimed at reducing second hand smoke by forbidding outdoor dining smoke, smoking in movie lines and smoking in doorways, among other measures. Brian Davis from Butt Out was at this week’s hearing to educate the supervisors about the impact of second hand smoke on members of the LGBT community. The next hearing on the ordinance is February 22. If you’d like to attend, contact Brian at briand@ggbreathe.org.
Help gather valuable information and win valuable prizes!
If you are 18-24 years old, and LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or intersex) you are eligible to win up to $150 for doing a survey about tobacco use. You don’t have to be a smoker or live in California to participate. This survey will help to gather important information about tobacco use and attitudes about tobacco that will help Butt Out and our national partners develop effective strategies for reducing smoking in our communities. Visit http://www.nyacyouth.org/pages.php?id=21 for more information.
As you can see, Butt Out is busy reaching out to the public and getting people activated about the tobacco problem. Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).
Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
NCLR just adopted an anti-tobacco policy!
The National Center for Lesbian Rights, NCLR, became the latest organization in the San Francisco Bay Area to adopt a policy not to take tobacco money. The total number of community organizations who have adopted policies is now 20. We are proud to have a national organization like NCLR adopting a policy. This move is in keeping with their progressive work for justice. Go NCLR!
Butt Out is presenting to the School of the Arts GSA.
The School of the Arts in San Francisco has one of the highest incidents of smoking among teens. Butt Out will be presenting to their GSA about smoking in advance of the start of the cessation group at the school. It is essential to reach out to LGBT youth - 43.7% of our LGBT youth smoke. Wish us luck!
Watch out for Butt-Out at 18th and Castro February 20th.
Butt Out will be reaching out to the public February 20th at the corner of 18th St and Castro from 10-12pm (weather permitting). Butt Out will educate passersbys about the hazards of smoking, hand out literature about smoking cessation and gather valuable survey information about smoking in our community. We will also be signing up new supporters. One of the helpers on hand will be Travis the pit bull. Our little mascot will bow and wag and shake hands for the good fight Butt Out is waging.
Butt Out spoke out at the second hand smoke ordinance hearing.
City Hall is debating an ordinance aimed at reducing second hand smoke by forbidding outdoor dining smoke, smoking in movie lines and smoking in doorways, among other measures. Brian Davis from Butt Out was at this week’s hearing to educate the supervisors about the impact of second hand smoke on members of the LGBT community. The next hearing on the ordinance is February 22. If you’d like to attend, contact Brian at briand@ggbreathe.org.
Help gather valuable information and win valuable prizes!
If you are 18-24 years old, and LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or intersex) you are eligible to win up to $150 for doing a survey about tobacco use. You don’t have to be a smoker or live in California to participate. This survey will help to gather important information about tobacco use and attitudes about tobacco that will help Butt Out and our national partners develop effective strategies for reducing smoking in our communities. Visit http://www.nyacyouth.org/pages.php?id=21 for more information.
As you can see, Butt Out is busy reaching out to the public and getting people activated about the tobacco problem. Keep track of the work Butt Out is doing by going to our website (www.butt-out.org/), friending us on Facebook (butt-outsanfrancisco) or by connecting with us on Twitter (twitter.com/buttoutsf).
Butt Out is a project of Breathe California, funded by the San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, which works to get tobacco money out of LGBT community organizations in San Francisco. We also educate the public about the hazards of smoking and about smoking cessation.
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