FDA aims anti-smoking campaign at LGBT community, says ‘coming out’ can be trigger

The Food and Drug Administration launched an anti-smoking campaign Monday aimed at the gay and transgender community, saying young adults in this groups are nearly twice as likely than others to use tobacco.

Dubbed “This Free Life,” the $35 million campaign of print and digital ads will launch this week in 12 markets. It is funded by user fees collected from the tobacco industry.

Anxiety over the stigma tied to the “coming out” process is a trigger that causes some to start smoking, the FDA said, while many adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender find a sense of community at bars and clubs where tobacco use is pervasive.

The agency says an estimated 800,000 of the 2 million LGBT people aged 18-24 smoke at least once in a while.

“We want LGBT young adults to know that there is no safe amount of smoking. Even an occasional cigarette can have serious health implications and lead to addiction,” said Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.