Black History Month: An Opportunity for Celebration and Reflection

Black History Month is an important time to celebrate Black culture, history, and community and to reflect on the continued struggle for racial justice.

We can take this opportunity to learn about the harm that is inflicted on the African American community by the tobacco industry. It’s a reminder to us parents and adults to keep talking to young people about the dangers of smoking and vaping.

African Americans continue to be targeted with marketing from tobacco companies, especially advertising for menthol cigarettes. Tobacco companies have advertised menthol cigarettes in Black communities up to 10 times more frequently than in non-Black communities, and these tactics continue to have devastating effects on the health of African American communities in Colorado and nationwide. Tobacco use has contributed to the three main causes of death in the Black community: heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

The Colorado Black Health Collaborative provides background information and resources on this topic for Coloradans. 

Explore their health resources page for informative news articles and stories >>

Learn more about how the tobacco industry has harmed Black Coloradans in these fact sheets >>