Recent trends suggest that declines in California’s adult tobacco use rates have stalled in the last few years, which has serious implications for reversing the substantial progress made in California
to reduce tobacco-related diseases. Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are more likely to use tobacco compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Compared to their heterosexual, cisgender peers, SGM adults experience a younger age of smoking initiation, have higher frequency of smoking, score higher on nicotine dependence, and have elevated polysubstance use. With this policy brief, we aim to better understand the prevalence of smoking among sexual and gender minorities and people living with HIV in California and examine correlates of and disparities in smoking by sexual orientation, gender identity and HIV status. Based on our research and review of the literature, we present three policy recommendations for addressing these issues.
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