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People Who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, or Asexual (LGBQA)

Individuals who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, or asexual (LGBQA) are impacted at a higher rate by commercial tobacco use due to targeted marketing, stressors of homophobia and biphobia, barriers to health care, and limited access to reliable quit tobacco programs.

People who are LGBQA also face racism, poverty, substance abuse, and barriers to accessing behavioral health services, all of which increase commercial tobacco use risk and tobacco health disparities.

Commercial tobacco use among LGB individuals and youth in the United States is higher than among heterosexual/straight individuals. About one in five LGB adults smoke cigarettes, compared with about one in six heterosexual/straight adults.

The MDHHS Tobacco Control program is dedicated to working with national, state, and community-based organizations to gather information on commercial tobacco use among LGBQA individuals to help make culturally appropriate tobacco services that meet the diverse needs of these communities and improve health disparities.

If you are interested in participating in future collaborative efforts to reduce commercial tobacco use among Michigan residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, or asexual, please contact us at 517-335-8376.

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