Roanoke Valley residents heading to Washington for Capital Pride events in June will see a national anti-nicotine campaign focused on helping LGBTQ+ people quit.
Truth Initiative, a public health nonprofit, plans to have staff and volunteers along the Capital Pride parade route and at LGBTQ+ establishments across Washington. Capital Pride events run June 8-21. Roanoke Pride already held its annual festival at Elmwood Park in April.
Kendric Dartis, vice president of engagement outreach at Truth Initiative, said the group is leaning on community connections to reach people who may be thinking about quitting nicotine.
“For Capital Pride, the Truth Initiative will be distributing information on quitting resources all across the local area and at LGBTQ+ establishments,” Dartis said. “So we’re really excited about that, and that features one of our great talented drag queens that we use as influencers for our program.”
Targeting higher LGBTQ+ nicotine use
Truth Initiative says tobacco and nicotine companies spent decades targeting LGBTQ+ spaces through bar and nightclub promotions, ads in gay press and other marketing tactics, helping normalize nicotine use.
“We know that tobacco brands try to normalize smoking in LGBTQ+ spaces through ads and gay press, night bars, promotions and so forth,” Dartis said. “So what we have really done at Truth Initiative is really create an opportunity to really engage LGBTQ+ communities through a breadth of really great resources.”
Click here to find out more about this initiative.
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