種族主義、不公平待遇如何與煙草商息息相關
煙草商對於加州多元社區的現代剝削及歧視,以利益為名進行了跨越一世紀的掠奪行為。1 2 3 來自大煙商的內部文件概述出他們的策略,其中有許多策略都是通過產品折扣及具操控性的廣告方式,令人震驚地企圖向弱勢及缺乏服務的族群兜售致命產品。他們過去甚至曾在住房項目中免費贈送年輕人煙草產品。4 煙草商的策略就是以慶祝不同社區的獨特文化及共同經歷的方式偽裝成支持這些社區。
不幸的是,這些策略的確奏效了。大煙草商積極地將特定社區設為目標,因此,某些族群的煙草使用率更高、在工作及家庭中接觸二手煙的次數更多,而且相較於一般族群其煙草相關疾病的發病率更高。5 6
煙草商以非常複雜的方式將特定族群設為目標來開發產品、定價策略及營銷方法。研究發現煙草零售店的密度與社會經濟弱勢社區、非裔社區及年輕族群的煙草使用之間存在關聯。7 8 加州城市地區煙草零售商的數量及其與學校的距離,與高中生的實驗性吸煙有關。9
與煙草商聲稱其產品的促銷並非基於種族或族裔的說法相反,許多獨特的煙草產品,如薄荷醇香煙、口味電子煙、雪茄煙及「有機」香煙,都是以特定族群為目標,如美洲印第安人、非裔或拉丁裔族群。一項研究甚至顯示,在加州高中附近的社區投放具有針對性的廣告,以更多促銷及更低價格使非裔接觸到領先品牌的薄荷醇香煙。10
煙草商具有不當行為及誤導的歷史。該產業不但資助具有誤導性的研究,顯示患有精神健康問題的人可以使用煙草產品來緩解症狀,11 該產業甚至在精神病院分發免費香煙。12 大煙草商更財務資助中小學、大學和學院,甚至包括西班牙裔/拉丁裔社區的獎學金計劃,以營造他們支持社區未來的錯覺。13
大煙草商更假意仿效企業社會責任的真正工作。煙草公司是首批通過在LGBTQ+各種同志群體出版物上做廣告以及贊助社區和同志驕傲活動,來為LGBTQ+社區提供財務「支援」的企業之一。然而,他們也利用LGBTQ+社區因所經歷的系統性歧視而感到的孤立感及絕望感,使用吸煙是對於LGBTQ+生活接受的營銷策略。14
借用文化傳統、儀式習俗,以及普及整個社區,都是煙草商劇本的一部分。他們利用美洲印第安人的文化來銷售其致命產品、傷害古老傳統、資助祈禱儀式,並以利潤為首來推廣自然美國精神等品牌,而非對於美洲印第安人社區表達具有意義的支持。15 16
以低收入為主的社區在大煙草商眼中具有高利潤,因此他們以犀利的方式瞄准他們,例如推動源源不絕廉價且易於獲得的產品,並讓它們流入這些社區以吸引眾人上癮。17
某位煙草公司的高管表示,亞裔族群將成為有利可圖的目標,因為「這個社區普遍傾向於吸煙」,影射所有自認為亞裔的人在對於容易上癮的致命產品方面都全然相同。18
即使是鄉村社區也無法擺脫大煙草商的大城市思維。大煙草商通過在廣告中描繪牛仔、獵人及賽車手的粗獷形象,以扭曲鄉村男性的觀念,使生活在鄉村社區的大眾成為大煙草商最佳顧客中的一群人。由於這些做法,鄉村縣郡的吸煙率在加州是最高的,19 而且鄉村居民開始吸煙的年齡也較早。20
大煙草商的掠奪性策略延續並利用不公平待遇,加劇他們所針對之目標社區原已在經歷的健康差距。所有加州人都應該遠離使用煙草所造成的危害。終結煙草商的掠奪性針對目標不僅關乎健康,更關乎為所有人創造公平的加州。
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups—African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1998.
- Lee JG, Sun DL, Schleicher NM, Ribisl KM, Luke DA, Henriksen L. Inequalities in tobacco outlet density by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, 2012, USA: results from the ASPiRE Study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2017;71(5):487-492. doi:10.1136/jech-2016-208475
- Lee JG, Henriksen L, Rose SW, Moreland-Russell S, Ribisl KM. A Systematic Review of Neighborhood Disparities in Point-of-Sale Tobacco Marketing. Am J Public Health. 2015;105(9):e8-18.
- Tobacco Control Legal Consortium. Evans v. Lorillard: A Bittersweet Victory Against the Tobacco Industry. https://publichealthlawcenter.org/sites/default/files/resources/tclc-Evans-v-Lorillard-case-study-2016.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program. California Tobacco Facts and Figures 2021. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health; November 2021.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco-Related Disparities. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/disparities/index.htm. Reviewed December 3, 2021. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- Henriksen L, Schleicher NC, Dauphinee AL, Fortmann SP. Targeted advertising, promotion, and price for menthol cigarettes in California high school neighborhoods. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012;14(1):116-121. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntr122
- Truth Initiative. Why are 72% of smokers from lower-income communities? Truthinitiative.org. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/targeted-communities/why-are-72-smokers-lower-income-communities. Published January 24, 2018. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- McCarthy WJ, Mistry R, Lu Y, Patel M, Zheng H, Dietsch B. Density of tobacco retailers near schools: effects on tobacco use among students. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(11):2006-2013. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.145128
- Henriksen L, Schleicher NC, Dauphinee AL, Fortmann SP. Targeted advertising, promotion, and price for menthol cigarettes in California high school neighborhoods. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012;14(1):116-121. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntr122
- Truth Initiative. How tobacco companies linked cigarettes and mental health.truthinitiative.org. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/targeted-communities/how-tobacco-companies-linked-cigarettes-an. Published August 23, 2017. Accessed February 16, 2022.
- Truth Initiative. Achieving Health Equity in Tobacco Control. trutinitiative.org. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/targeted-communities/achieving-health-equity-tobacco-control. Published December 15, 2015. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- Minosa MK. Tobacco Use and Hispanics. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0134.pdf. Published March 18, 2022. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Tobacco Use. cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/disparities/lgbt/index.htm. Reviewed January 18, 2022. Accessed March 10, 2022.
- Truth Initiative. Tobacco is a social justice issue: Racial and ethnic minorities. Truthinitiative.org. https://truthinitiative.org/news/tobacco-social-justice-issue-racial-and-ethnic-minorities. Published February 3, 2017. Accessed April 14, 2022.
- D'Silva J, O'Gara E, Villaluz NT. Tobacco industry misappropriation of American Indian culture and traditional tobacco. Tob Control. 2018;27(e1):e57-e64. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053950
- Truth Initiative. Why are 72% of smokers from lower-income communities? Truthinitiative.org. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/targeted-communities/why-are-72-smokers-lower-income-communities
- Muggli ME, Pollay RW, Lew R, Joseph AM. Targeting of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by the tobacco industry: results from the Minnesota Tobacco Document Depository. Tob Control. 2002;11(3):201-209. doi:10.1136/tc.11.3.201
- California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program, California Facts and Figures 2021, Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health; November 2021.
- American Lung Association. Cutting tobacco’s rural roots: Tobacco use in rural communities. Chicago, IL: American Lung Association;2012.