Community

Tobacco impacts certain groups of people in unique and often more negative ways. Alarmingly, tobacco use is the #1 cause of preventable disease and death for Hispanics. Tobacco companies do everything possible to keep a deadly grip on Hispanic/Latinx neighborhoods. They target Hispanic neighborhoods, which often have a higher concentration of retail tobacco outlets and fewer smoke free regulations. Tobacco companies have a history of targeting Hispanics with advertising themes and financial contributions to cultural organizations, calling the population “lucrative,” and “easy to reach.” To fight back and lower the use of tobacco, we’re proud partners with Centro Hispano. Together, we seek to help educate the Spanish-speaking community of the effects of tobacco products.

Utah has a large and vibrant Latinx population. We’re proud partners with Comunidades Unidas, which serves the needs of the Latino community. Together we hope to decrease tobacco use in this community, who face increased adversity and inequality. We support their mission of building healthy and united families. Tobacco companies have a long history of targeting the Hispanic and Latino populations. More than 43,000 Hispanic/Latino Americans are diagnosed with a tobacco-related cancer each year. As one of Big Tobacco’s favorite targets, it’s imperative we work together with partners like Comunidades Unidas to empower every Latinx in Utah to stay healthy and tobacco-free.

Since 1989, Project Success Coalition has proudly served Utah and has been a voice for our community in articulating, advocating, and addressing the needs of African Americans in Utah. Project Success is home to the Harambee Tobacco Prevention Network. Way to Quit is a proud partner of the Project Success Coalition and their goal of reducing and eliminating health-related disparities among African Americans throughout the state. Tobacco companies have targeted African American populations for decades. There are up to 10 times more tobacco ads in Black neighborhoods than in others. As a result of their manipulative tactics and relentless targeting, Black communities experience the greatest burden of tobacco-related mortality of any racial or ethnic group in the United States.

The Queen Center is determined to unite and empower Pacific Islander Communities to live healthier lifestyles by providing culturally meaningful resources, tobacco prevention, advocacy, and education. For decades, tobacco companies have preyed on Asian/Pacific Islander communities, using targeted advertising on billboards as well sponsoring cultural events. We’re proud partners with the Queen Center and share a goal of helping members of these communities quit smoking and stay tobacco-free.

The mission of the Urban Indian Center of SLC is to represent the needs of Utah’s urban Indian population. There are 60,000 people residing in Utah who self-identify as American Indians/Alaskan Natives. Members of these communities face a number of disparities, such as less access to health insurance coverage and increased unemployment. Tobacco companies have preyed on the traditions of these communities for decades, which consider traditional tobacco as an important and sacred tradition. Tobacco companies misappropriate indigenous culture and reinforce harmful stereotypes in order to market and sell commercial tobacco products. Currently, American Indian and Alaska Native adults have the highest smoking rate in the U.S. We’re proud to partner with the Urban Indian Center of SLC to reduce commercial tobacco use in communities throughout Utah.

Utah Pride Center unites, empowers and celebrates Utah’s diverse LGBTQ+ community by providing a safe and welcoming space for education, partnerships, services and events which advance our collective health, wellness and success. While tobacco companies were among the first to “publicly support” LGBTQ+ communities, that support has never come from a genuine place. They are responsible for introducing the LGBTQ+ community to long-term health complications, and LGBT individuals smoke tobacco at rates up to 2.5x higher than straight adults.