Why LGBTQ+ people are more likely to smoke – Gay Times Magazine
It’s a truth perhaps not so universally acknowledged that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be smokers. While we know that the smoking area of most queer clubs is usually rammed full of people on any given night, as of 2018 in the UK, 22.2% of lesbians and gay men and 19.3% of bisexual people are smokers, compared to just 15.5% of heterosexual people. Similarly, LGB young people are more inclined to smoke at a younger age and more frequently than their heterosexual counterparts.
While overall the number of people who smoke is slowly decreasing in the UK, and 62.5% of all people aged 16 or over in Great Britain who have ever smoked have said they have quit, the disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ people who smoke is still curious – why, when we know how bad smoking cigarettes is for us, do so many LGBTQ+ people still want to light one up?
The Social Stigma and Mental Health
Robust and conclusive research into tobacco use in LGBTQ+ communities is limited, although insight can be gleaned from the information that is out there. According to the Truth Initiative – America’s largest non-profit public health organisation dedicated to a future where tobacco and nicotine addiction are things of the past – the social stigma and discrimination that many LGBTQ+ face could be one of the reasons why smoking is more prevalent in queer communities.
Unfortunately, these issues, among other things, do have an impact on LGBTQ+ people and their mental health. Like with smoking, LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately affected by mental health issues and illnesses. According to Stonewall’s ‘LGBT in Britain: Health Report’, 52% of LGBTQ+ people say they have experienced depression in 2018, with two thirds of trans people saying they’ve experienced depression in the same period. These figures are higher among LGBTQ+ people who have experienced hate crimes and among LGBTQ+ people who are Black or people of colour.
Unsurprisingly, there is a link between poor mental health and rates of smoking. According to Action On Smoking And Health (ASH), it’s estimated that 40% of adults with a serious mental illness in the England are smokers, while over 25% of smokers suffer from anxiety or depression.
The reasons for this are complex; smokers argue that cigarettes can help relieve feelings of anxiety and stress, smoking therefore becoming a form of self-medication. This association between smoking and stress relief is questionable and could be evidence of a false economy. Nicotine, the addictive stimulant in cigarettes, releases dopamine, which causes feelings of pleasure. However, the stress that many smokers feel may just be nicotine withdrawal, the relief they experience when smoking may not eliminate their real, experienced stress but just their cravings. Nevertheless, for smokers with a mental health condition, the association between smoking and feeling relaxed is more pronounced.
It wouldn’t be incongruous to draw a line connecting the rates of smoking among LGBTQ+ people and the disproportionate amount that LGBT+ people are affected by mental health issues. But it doesn’t provide a complete picture, either, as there are also other health disparities to consider.