The Tobacco Industry Targets Black America

Posted by Marti1704 at 2:00 PM on October 23, 2007.

Marti1704: We used to pick it, now they want us to smoke it. Slick, flashy advertising for menthol cigarettes is on the rise, particularly in low-income black neighborhoods.

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This post, written by Mart1704, originally appeared on Brave New Films

Black people; lend me your ear. Wait...this is actually good information for everyone.

I know you thought you were already on the look out for all your potential assassins. The bigots, the racial profilers, poverty, crime, police brutality, discrimination as a result of affirmative action... But an old but new threat has emerged in a vile and nasty form - Big Tobacco and it's little sister menthol. Don't laugh, I'm serious.

Even while anti-smoking ads are on the rise; in low income neighborhoods of all races, smoking has remained pretty much the same. But what is alarming is that young, black adults...are smoking tons of Newport Menthols. Why? Because their advertising is everywhere! That's why. "It appears the industry is targeting the most vulnerable groups through advertising and manipulation of menthol levels..."

I remember when I was little, driving through the 'hood with my mother. There was literally a "500 Liquor Store" on every other corner. But it was a nightmare trying to find a grocery store. When you DID find a grocery store, soda was $.50 a bottle, but milk was $1.95! Things haven't changed! Why do you think the nutrition and health epidemic is such an issue in low income neighborhoods? Poor people everywhere are being poisoned with that garbage because it's accessible and cheap. But I digress.

"Lorillard Tobacco Company, maker of Newports, said its marketing was directed at "all adult smokers," although 51 percent of Newport buyers are blacks."

And the advertising is slick, very sexy, geared towards hip hop and flashy in color. Young couples and sexy girls hanging out, being athletic, having fun, kissing -- all while smoking menthol cigarettes.

Then there are Black & Mild cigars that come in yummy flavors like cream, wine and apple. 24% of black 18-24 year olds in Baltimore surveyed said they smoked a Black & Mild at least once in the past 30 days.

It would be hard not to with snappy little slogans like, "Smells great" and "tastes great." And they put them right there in the candy aisle. Next to the Snickers and gum. It should be noted that Black & Milds pose the same health risks as cigarettes and are only considered cigars because of their wrapping.

I don't know why anyone likes to fill their lungs with toxic smoke, I don't know why the minty menthol flavor is enticing to you, I can't imagine an apple flavored cigar tasting good, but I do know that you will die from smoking - just the same as you would from a severe police beating, or a gun shot. Just because Snoop smokes, doesn't mean you should. He has money to buy new lungs...you don't. There are enough forces out there, trying to pick you off, one by one, don't be one of them.

Tagged as: health, racism, race, tobacco industry, tobacco

Marti1704 is a blogger for Brave New Films

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Obviously. Companies of all types target their marketing. If cigarettes/tobacco [Report this comment] Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Oct 23, 2007 3:07 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] are bad then please ban them. Or, at least, put REAL restrictions on thier purchase by minors. If, however, they remain legal, and there is no sign from the Democrats -or Republicans- that they will be banned then the businesses will target 'key demographics' like anyone else. Yes, it is morally wrong to sell a death-product but right now it is legal. ps: alcohol companies also target key demographics like: euphemistically called 'urban markets' (malt liquor), 'price conscious market' (fortified wines), yuppies (expensive grain alcohol vodka in nice bottle), rednecks (NASCAR-themed Busch tallboys), hunters ('hunting edition' 30pack beer cases), college kids (cheap beer), drink-drivers (iced down tall-boy singles in gas station convenience store coolers), girls (alco-pops), etc. Again, morally bad but 'its legal'?!? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Did they forget to label the "Black and Mild's"... [Report this comment] Posted by: ABetterFuture on Oct 23, 2007 4:09 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ...with the warning that they will kill you, slowly, miserably, and prematurely? If so, I offer the above. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Please [Report this comment] Posted by: meetmeineleusis on Oct 23, 2007 8:01 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] People know, and have known for a while, that tobacco is bad. They don't give a shit. This call for banning them reveals that some people are as addicted to do-gooder legislation as other people are addicted to nicotine. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Do-gooders Posted by: Felis Catus It's Time To Tell The Truth [Report this comment] Posted by: InsertNameHere on Oct 23, 2007 9:55 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Alcohol and Tobacco are both addictive and can have harmful effects on your health and personal life if they are abused. If you take away the deaths related to crime from illegal substances, the numbers for narcotics are much different. You have to spend billions convincing people that 2+2=5 to avoid them concluding the obvious, which is: You can't reconcile the fact that two of these substances are legal and highly profitable yet others are not. Obviously you don't want to encourage people to use some of these drugs, they are nasty, like meth and crack, but I wouldn't encourage people to smoke either. All of the above can lead to a horrible death. Perhaps the worst is the slow death of lung cancer and heart disease. Yet, you are supposed to put these substances into different moral categories. Perhaps if you legalize them and stop bullshitting people, then education on the dangers of certain substances might be more effective. Your education on the dangers of eating a poor diet would be grouped in with the education on ' perhaps you shouldn't smoke crack either'. Your jails would be a lot less full. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » a social problem; not a law enforcement problem Posted by: vasumurti You have a cough? [Report this comment] Posted by: grassyknolluk on Oct 24, 2007 5:14 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] You have a cough? Go home tonight, eat a whole box of Ex-Lax--tomorrow you'll be afraid to cough. (So said Pearl Williams) [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Huge Taxpayer Funded 'drug war' proposal now under consideration [Report this comment] Posted by: mutualaid on Oct 24, 2007 6:55 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] No to Plan Mexico!!! Global network demands accountability in the murder of US Journalist Brad Will Contact: Friends of Brad Will, Media Representative, Harry Bubbins h.bubbins(at) gmail (dot) com, http://friendsofbradwill.org Friends of Brad Will, a global network pushing for accountability in the murder of US journalist Brad Will in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2006, denounced plans to fund a "Plan Mexico". "One year after the murder of Brad Will, no one has been arrested. Under the guise of stopping drug trafficking, US taxpayers could be funding human rights violations, corrupt local officials and Blackwater-style mercenaries in Oaxaca and elsewhere. This is exactly the wrong message to send at this time." said Harry Bubbins, a media representative for Friends of Brad Will. FoBW has drawn attention to the fact that Congress has been kept out of the discussions about this $1.4 billion initiative, finally due to be discussed by Congress in Washington on Thursday. As the BBC reported, Mr Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon have been working on the details of the plan for several weeks. "We are confident that Congress will ask hard questions about the murder of a US citizen, and not just rubber stamp this military aid package that could lead to further human rights abuses." added Mr. Bubbins. Activists with Friends of Brad Will intend to be present at Congressional Hearings on October 25th and has suggested four questions for the Congress Members to ask the Administration: i. What has been learned from 'Plan Columbia' which makes you think that this aid package will have a good effect on human rights, corruption, and narco-trafficking? ii. What makes you believe that a country whose police and military are recognized every year in US State Department country reports to be serial abusers of human rights should be lavished with US taxpayer-funded lethal weaponry and training? iii. Why do you believe this lethal power will not be levelled against activists and ordinary Mexican citizens as has been the case in the past in Atenco, Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca? iv. What signal are you sending to the Mexican authorities who have ignored those in their ranks who were implicated in the shooting of US journalist Brad Will a year ago Saturday and to those who have engaged in a cover-up which the Mexican media labelled absurd ? -_------_---_______-------________--------____- Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Chairman Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, to be held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Date:Thursday, October 25, 2007 Time:2:00 PM Subject: U.S. Security Assistance to Mexico witnesses: Panel I Mr. Jess T. Ford Director International Affairs and Trade Team U.S. Government Accountability Office _____------______-------________ www.friendsofbradwill.org [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] "Truth" ads [Report this comment] Posted by: swisha on Oct 25, 2007 9:32 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The "Truth" campaign is actually funded by the tobacco industry (from adbusters), and are not allowed to directly attack tobacco companies. I am sick and tired of these ads that take information out of context and then pushes them like hell. Remember the milk one, come on, like that little bit of info will really make someone quit. "Derrick" their little man who does their commercials, is an industry hack. The truth campaign is funded by the industry, so how can we truly trust them? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Do-gooders Posted by: Felis Catus

» a social problem; not a law enforcement problem Posted by: vasumurti

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» RE: Do-gooders Posted by: Felis Catus

» a social problem; not a law enforcement problem Posted by: vasumurti