John,

This week, the U.S. Surgeon General released a long-awaited report on tobacco-related health disparities – and the findings are striking.

 Tobacco use is highest among vulnerable populations 

The report shows that while the United States has made tremendous progress in reducing smoking and other tobacco use, this progress has been uneven and there are large and unacceptable disparities in who uses tobacco and suffers from the devastating health consequences. Disparities persist by race and ethnicity, levels of income and education, sexual orientation, gender identity and other factors.

At the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, we are deeply committed to addressing these disparities and ensuring that no community is left behind. This report provides critical evidence to support our work to advocate for lifesaving public health policies that benefit all communities.

What drives tobacco-related health disparities?

The report makes clear that the tobacco industry is a major driver of these disparities, especially the industry’s decades-long targeting of Black and other communities with menthol cigarettes and other flavored products.

The report details the industry’s pervasive role in creating and perpetuating tobacco-related disparities, including:

• manipulating products to make them more appealing and addictive,
  
  
• targeted marketing to vulnerable populations,
  
  
• fighting policies to reduce tobacco use,
  
  
• corporate social responsibility tactics, and
  
  
• advertising that misappropriates cultures and promotes harmful stereotypes.

It is especially shameful that the tobacco industry has sought to position itself as an ally to communities that have suffered the most from its deadly products and predatory marketing.

What can be done?

This report underscores the critical need for action at all levels of government to further drive down tobacco use and eliminate tobacco-related disparities, including the elimination of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.

It shows that the FDA was absolutely right and on sound scientific ground in proposing rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars – rules that the White House should have finalized more than a year ago. It is infuriating that the tobacco industry has once again put profits over lives and managed to delay these lifesaving rules. It is more critical than ever that policymakers step up efforts to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.

Learn more about tobacco industry targeting of Black Americans >>

The report also identifies other evidence-based policies that can further reduce tobacco use and close tobacco-related disparities, including:

• higher tobacco taxes,
  
  
• comprehensive smoke-free laws implemented in every state and community,
  
  
• high-impact media campaigns,
  
  
• providing and promoting barrier-free access to smoking cessation interventions,
  
  
• policies regulating the location of and reducing the number of tobacco retailers, and
  
  
• reducing nicotine in cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products to minimally addictive or non-addictive levels.

As this report makes clear, tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., killing nearly half a million people each year.

We have the tools to eliminate tobacco-related death and disease and to ensure that no community is left behind. What’s needed is the political will to stand up to the tobacco industry and fully utilize these lifesaving tools.

With your support, we will redouble our work to take on the tobacco industry, reduce health disparities and create a more equitable future for all.

Thanks for standing with us,

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