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14 November 2005

"The Last Drag" Anti-Tobacco Campaign

In response to a reported tobacco smoking rate of 30.4% among gay men and lesbians in California (nearly double the rate of the general population of the state and the highest among the state's minority groups), the Los Angeles County Health Department has launched a new smoking cessation campaign aimed at this population of smokers.  The campaign is spotlighted in today's In Advertising column by Stuart Elliott - Does Smoke Get In Your Eyes?

Particularly worrisome to health officials are the statistics for those in the 18-to-24-year-old age range: Their smoking rate, 43.4 percent, is more than two and a half times higher than the rate of 16.6 percent for the general population in that age bracket.

The initiatives by Big Tobacco aimed at smokers who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender are another reason for the campaign. Materials cite ads in publications for gay and lesbian readers, displays in stores, promotions in bars and sponsorship of events like awards dinners and pride festivals.

The humorous approach includes print ads and street teams deployed to bars and other nightspots.  The campaign also has a website: LastDragLA.com.

Posted at 03:56 PM |

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