AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES

 

Resolution:                __(A-03)

Introduced by:          American Association of Public Health Physicians
                                  American College of Preventive Medicine
                                  American Society of Addiction Medicine

Subject:                    Tobacco Advertising Aimed at Gay and Lesbian Community

Referred to:              Reference Committee ___

_____________________________________________________

Whereas, one half of people who smoke will die prematurely from smoking related illnesses(1); and

Whereas, corroborating data from various studies indicate that smoking rates are higher among adolescent and adult lesbians, gays, and bisexuals than in the general population(2); and

Whereas, a major tobacco company created a marketing campaign targeting sexual minorities and homeless people under the umbrella of "subculture urban marketing" and gave it the objectionable name of "Project SCUM"(3); and

Whereas, other tobacco companies have also intensified marketing to the LGBT community by targeted advertising, event sponsorship and product promotion funding (4)(5)(6); and

Whereas, nearly every anti smoking campaign has ignored the LGBT community — yet the LGBT community has the highest rate of smoking than any other minority population (7); and

Whereas, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) has introduced this resolution to the sponsoring organizations, which endorse it and urge that it be adopted by the House of Delegates; therefore, be it

RESOLVED that our AMA, in keeping with its previous resolutions condemning the tobacco industry's targeted advertising aimed at Children, Adolescents, Minorities and Women, reaffirm its stated policy, and be it further

RESOLVED that the AMA further condemn the tobacco industry for targeting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community in its advertising and marketing campaigns and that our AMA call for a cessation of such campaigns.

Fiscal Note: No significant fiscal impact.

References:
  1. American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/F&F97.pdf) and World Health Organization (http://www.wpro.who.int/tfi/docs/wntd02/18FS%20smoking%20stats.doc)
  2. Ryan H. Wortley PM. Easton A. Pederson L. Greenwood G. Smoking among lesbians, gays, and bisexuals: a review of the literature. [Review] American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 21(2):142-9, 2001 Aug.
  3. http://www.thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=61 and http://www.projectscum.org/site/home.asp?mode=0
  4. American Legacy Foundation.  Final Report for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Forum (http://www.americanlegacy.org/section.asp?Location=content/programs/priority/glbt_report.asp)
  5. D. R. Arday, B. R. Erdin, G. A. Giovino, and D. E. Nelson. Smoking, HIV infection, and gay men in the United States. Tobacco Control 1993 2: 156-158 http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/2/2/156.pdf
  6. K. Goebel. Lesbians and gays face tobacco targeting. Tobacco Control 1994 3: 65-67 http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/3/1/65.pdf
  7. New York Times, December 21, 1999

Relevant Policy:

H-490.928 (Children and Smoking); H-500.978 (AMA Policy Supporting Statutory Ban on Tobacco Promotion and Advertising); H-500.983 (Tobacco Advertising Aimed at Children and Adolescents); H-500.992 (Tobacco Advertising Directed to Children, Minorities and Women).