The Problem

Big Tobacco’s goal has remained transparent for decades: sell products, which  – when used as directed – can addict, harm, and even kill people. They also have a long history of systemic discrimination contributing to a public health emergency in the Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities. Today, vaping companies are following in their footsteps; using moves from an old playbook to profit from new products.

The History

• Menthol cigarettes, which have a “cooling” flavor that masks the harshness of tobacco, were strategically and aggressively marketed to Black Americans 

• The industry’s marketing efforts included increased advertising and discounts in Black neighborhoods, appropriation of Black culture in their ads, and the successful infiltration into prominent Black-led organizations and groups 

• Similar tactics – including exploitative marketing and cultural appropriation – have been used to target LGBTQ+ and Indigenous groups 

• Today, approximately 85% of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes; LGBTQ+ young people are 2x more likely to smoke than their heterosexual peers; and American Indian/Alaska Native youth have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking among all racial/ethnic groups in the US

• The vaping industry is breathing new life into Big Tobacco’s old tactics, including making major donations to historically Black institutions.

• A Congressional subcommittee found that JUUL planned to fund a summer program targeting children at a charter school. It would have given them access to children as young as eight years old, some of them Black.

Where We Stand

• Leaders and activists from these communities have been fighting back against Big Tobacco for decades; and while progress is being made, the industry continues to tighten its grip on lawmakers 

• In April 2022, the FDA finally proposed rules to remove menthol cigarettes from the market. But nearly a year later, flavored tobacco products (including menthol) remain on the market and continue to pose a threat to young, first-time smokers 

How to help 

• Tweet the FDA 

  • One year ago, the FDA proposed rules to remove menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars from the market. Let them know it’s time to follow through and get these harmful products off the shelves. Tweet to show them your support. 

• Host a screening 

  • Filmmaker Lincoln Mondy created a two-part documentary series that details the history of the tobacco industry’s targeting and discrimination and how it continues to have an impact on public health today. Host a screening to help educate your peers on the issue. 

• Add Your Voice

  • Vaping + tobacco is a Social Justice issue. Big Tobacco and Vape have a history of lying, profiling, and targeting vulnerable groups. Add your name to the fight for Social Justice by signing truth’s petition.