Tobacco Use in Racial and Ethnic Populations (This surprised me.)

[NurseJackie]

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/impact-of-tobacco-use/tobacco-use-racial-and-ethnic

Tobacco use is much higher in some communities and populations such as groups of American Indians and Alaska Natives, and in subsets of certain populations including Cuban-Americans and Puerto Ricans. Some tobacco products also are used at higher rates in certain populations. An example is menthol cigarette use in the African-American population.

Below is information on the prevalence of tobacco use in racial and ethnic populations, and key facts about some of these disparities.



American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest smoking rate of any racial or ethnic group.1 A recent study also found American Indian and Alaska Native men and women have a higher percentage of smoking-related deaths from heart disease and stroke than white men and women.

[Haggard Celine]

1. I've heard that cigarettes are cheaper on reservations.

That would have something to do with the higher rate of smoking among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

[NurseJackie]

2. Interesting observation. How does that compare with disposable income... or income-in-general?

I wonder... they may be cheaper than in states that have high cigarette taxes, but does that necessarily translate into being more affordable?

[dsc]

15. It is a vast difference

Cigarettes are about $70 a carton in many states but in upstate NY you can get ones on the reservation for $15 a carton.

[NurseJackie]

16. At last check (when the mister and I were still smoking) they were $65 per carton...

... and we drove to a Virginia Costco, they were even more in Maryland. But that was over five years ago, I'm sure things are worse now.

It saddens me to see how people who often have the least amount of easily disposable income are the folks who are targeted and taken advantage of by Big Tobacco.

[Me.]

5. THey Are Much Less Expensive If You Can Order And Have Them Shipped Via Mail

but because of the cigarette tax issue, many states, like NY, have outlawed buying cigs from the reservations by mail.

[NurseJackie]

6. Back when I was a heavy smoker, I looked into all the ways I could get around Maryland's taxes...

... we always drove to Costco in Virginia for lower prices and lower taxes. On one road trip, through South Carolina we also "stocked up" with cartons and cartons.

I think that was our first dose of reality. Burning money by the carton is easy to dismiss as an indulgence. But burning it by the FULL BOX really put it into perspective. Even though we were saving, that one BIG purchase drove the point home as to how much money we were wasting over time. Within a little over a year... we had decided to quit.

Never looked back.

Oh! About a year after we quit, I found an "emergency pack" that I'd zip-locked and put in the bottom of the freezer. I forgot it was there. --- And I threw it away. Didn't even bother to sniff the pack. The smell of cigarette smoke kinda makes me ill now. It's pretty disgusting.

I guess I'm just more angry at myself for all the money we wasted.

[Me.]

8. I Never Thought To Put That Emergency Pack In The Freezer

I minded the money but what stopped me was an important upcoming eye operation and I thought the healing process would be impaired if I smoked.

[NurseJackie]

10. Whatever it takes! Glad you're a quitter too!! 💖💖💖

[Me.]

20. ...

[mopinko]

7. the seneca nation ships tobacco out of new york.

their smokes are super cheap, too.

[Hortensis]

17. As sovereign nations, state and federal taxes don't apply, and I guess

that at $75 a carton (!) that adds up to significant lost tax revenue. I remember reading long ago now that, to get around the laws banning on-line resale of Marlboros, etc, some tribes were making their own cigarettes to sell. ?

[Me.]

19. Especially In NY Where A Pack Costs $13+

[Hortensis]

21. Boy, we've lost track. Just looked up the cost in GA,

which explains why we haven't been hearing people complaining bitterly. People drive here for $5.39, excise and state taxes $0.37 and $0.23. And now I'm remembering that GA didn't lock down when other states did.

[LeftInTX]

22. $8 in San Antonio, Texas

The only reason I know was because last Saturday, I was at a convenience store waiting to pay gas. A guy buys a pack and exclaims loudly "$8??"
Someone in line says, "Quit"...LOL

[Hortensis]

25. That is enough to at least consider trying to pay yourself to quit,

if you smoke enough. I'm acquisitive. I could think of a few nice things to save up for.

If I could hack it. Our daughter is apparently a throwback to some unidentified ancestor. When she decided to quit, as she explained to her amazed and wondering mother, she just told herself she wouldn't be weak and that was that.

Speaking of demographics, albeit popping randomly into my mind, according to Pew the two groups most susceptible to Q-type conspiracism are evangelicals and Hispanic Protestants. What that has to do with tobacco I couldn't say, but now I'm curious.

[RFCalifornia]

9. It's also cultural

Tobacco plays a big role in a lot of Native American cultures

[LeftInTX]

3. I'm surprised that NA "WOMEN" have the highest

The women is what surprises me.

[Raine]

12. I'm surprised Non-Hispanic White women is so high, second only to NA women. 🤔 nt

[LeftInTX]

24. That doesn't surprise me

There is more equality among white women...

I used to smoke, in the 70's when I was in high school...The number of girls who smoked was about the same as the number of guys who smoked.

[cinematicdiversions]

14. Tobacco use skews older and elderly women outnumber elderly man

It's simply demographics. There's a lot of older female smokers not a lot of older male ones.

[former9thward]

30. These are percentages not numbers.

Its has nothing to do with the number of them.

[cinematicdiversions]

31. On average US women are 5.1 years older

So yes, woman as a whole are an older sunset more likely to smoke.

[former9thward]

33. Where are you getting that?

Its not what I see.

[alittlelark]

4. Tobacco is sacred to most Native American tribes.

Not a surprising stat.

[GusBob]

11. There's a neat poster in our Rez clinic

which goes something along these lines:

"Our first medicine is also our #1 killer--keep the traditional intent sacred"

But year alot of smokers here, and chewers of tobacco

[DenaliDemocrat]

13. I was a dedicated user of moist snuff for years

I quit 20 years ago. These days I will smoke a pipe with aromatics maybe twice a month or a cigar once in a great while.

[alphafemale]

18. I'm surprised that many people still smoke.

At least it's not in public stinking everything up anymore.

Smocked on and off when I was younger.

Quit for GOOD in 1999.

Surprised especially at the low rates with Asian American males.

I remember when it seemed like everyone in that group smoked.

[former9thward]

32. The figures are probably much higher.

They get these figures by calling people. So a stranger calls you and asks if you smoke and what your age, race and gender. How many people are going to give that information? And how many people are going to lie knowing that smoking is not PC?

[Sympthsical]

23. There's an interesting debate around menthol cigarette bans

As they're most likely smoked by Black smokers, banning them is seen as racist in some quarters.

https://gazette.com/opinion/column-exposing-a-ridiculous-openly-racist-policy/article_8b94e95e-ada7-11eb-bf9b-7ba439b863b6.html

Richmond, CA, which has a large black population, banned them not too long ago. People were all kinds of pissed off. I had no idea this was even happening until I was at a gas station and saw the attendant reach under the counter to sell someone a pack of menthols.

Yep, menthol contraband.

I don't smoke cigarettes, but interesting topic that was flying under the radar for me.

[NurseJackie]

26. Both my husband and I were menthol smokers.

Occasionally, I'd run out of smokes, and a friend would offer me a non-menthol cigarette. I couldn't stand it!

I may have quit sooner if menthol cigarettes were not available to me.

[NurseJackie]

27. Menthol Menthol Cigarettes Are Killing Black Communities (Big Tobacco only sees profits)

[NurseJackie]

28. Report: Black smokers targeted for menthol cigarettes

A team of anti-tobacco and black advocacy organizations outlined the impact big tobacco has had on the black community through targeted menthol cigarette marketing and advertising

[róisín_dubh]

29. I'm trying to quit. It's exceedingly difficult.

I despise smoking, I hate the way it smells, but I've been hooked for so long. I'm trying to train for a half marathon, and I always get a few weeks in and then my lungs become unhappy. So I've decided I wanted to run a marathon more than I want to smoke.