A report released on Tuesday by the U.S. surgeon general found that LGBTQ+ individuals use vapes at much higher rates than their straight counterparts.
“Tobacco use is a singular health threat to LGBTQAI+ communities,” said Kristy Marynak, a senior science adviser at the CDC and a co-editor on the report. “This report finds that nearly 1 in 5 of all deaths in the United States are caused by tobacco, and it shines a light on the disproportionate burden borne by certain communities, including LGBTQAI+ communities.”
37.8% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults are said to have tried E-cigarettes before, compared to just 16.5% of straight adults. This category includes vaping pens, hookah pens, e-cigars, and e-pipes.
Almost half of all bisexual adults tried e-cigarettes, while the number is lower among gays and lesbians (31.8% and 26.7% respectively).
The authors of the report lacked reliable data on transgender Americans’ usage of tobacco so they weren’t able to include them in all areas of the report.
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One in 20 survey respondents even reported experiencing physical violence, threats, and intimidation over their queer identity.
People feel comfortable coming out at younger and younger ages — but only if they feel comfortable coming out at all.
The data doesn’t only extend to adults: 56% of high school students who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual tried e-cigarettes at least once in their lives, compared to 49.8% of straight youth.
There is minimal research on the long-term health outcomes of these behaviors in LGBTQ+ populations, but what is known from the general population is that these can cause lung and heart disease, and that nicotine, which is found in these e-cigarettes, can even harm brain development.
