Author: Angeline Morgado, ASH Policy Intern
The Breaking Free Nicotine Liberation Summit, organized by Amplify Love, was an open invitation to consider how tobacco control and treatment (cessation) have traditionally been approached, challenging us to reflect on how identity has historically shaped access and representation among tobacco control advocates. It was very insightful to reimagine how nicotine treatment is addressed and ensured in the African American community. It’s essential to reflect on the language and narratives around treatment, who is centered in them, and who is missing.
Participants discussed reshaping language, such as using “nicotine liberation” instead of “cessation.” This approach emphasizes understanding how structures of privilege and inequality intersect with tobacco control. One speaker shared that before discovering Amplify Love, it was difficult to see representation of someone like him, a Black American man, centered in cessation resources and communities. That insight highlights the importance of creating programs that address inequities, especially by recognizing how social determinants influence tobacco use behaviors and tobacco industry targeting.
They also discussed innovative approaches such as gamification, music, and personifying nicotine to “break up” with it – creative methods that help engage different audiences. They highlighted the importance of innovating and finding diverse ways to reach people where they are.
A diversity framework allows us to remember that while overall tobacco use has decreased, it has not done so at an equal pace across different ethnic and racial groups; tobacco use prevalence remains unequal.
The tobacco industry has exacerbated this disparity by intentionally targeting certain demographics through advertising. For example, tobacco companies have spent decades targeting African American communities in promotional efforts for menthol cigarettes, using tactics such as direct mail promotions, culturally tailored language and imagery, and sponsorship of hip-hop events and bars where menthol cigarette samples are distributed.
To protect our right to health from the influence of the tobacco industry, we must ensure that our advocacy efforts and treatment support are equitable, addressing existing gaps and denouncing the industry’s intentional targeting of certain demographics. As we move forward in advancing tobacco endgame solutions, our innovations must be inclusive and fight for everyone. This aligns with ASH’s mission to create a world where no one dies because of tobacco, and equal access to nicotine liberation remains key to achieving that.
