Hispanic/Latino

The Story of Hispanic/Latino

What’s one of the most insidious ways to infiltrate a community? Gain favor for your deadly products by funding schools and children’s educations. Big Tobacco financially supported primary and secondary schools, universities and colleges, and even scholarship programs for Hispanic/Latino communities to create the illusion that they’re supporting the future of the community.1 Big Tobacco lobbied and donated large amounts of money to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to oppose tobacco tax increases, trying to make elected officials their puppets.2

All this money from the tobacco industry is devastating to the health of Hispanic/Latino communities. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Hispanic/Latino populations in California, and smoking causes 80-90% of lung cancer cases.3

But Big Tobacco doesn’t stop there – the industry also aggressively discounts flavored cigar and cigarillos in pre-dominantly Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods to hook new customers.4

Stay aware of Big Tobacco’s predatory tactics—they’re going to do everything they can to keep a deadly grip on Hispanic/Latino communities.

  1. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0134.pdf
  2. Invisibly, Tobacco Firms Back Campaign Against Higher Cigarette Taxes, Washington Post, August 26, 1994.
  3. Smoking & Tobacco Use: Highlights: Hispanic and Tobacco, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
  4. 2017 Story of Inequity, Indicator: Average price for a single of the leading brand of flavored little cigar/cigarillo by priority population group.

The Proof is in the Data

[ Data last updated March 2023 ]

Indicator
Hispanic/Latino
General Population
Adult Tobacco Use
1.Adult Cigarette Use: Adult cigarette smoking prevalence6%6.7%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
2.Change in Adult Cigarette Use: Rate of change in adult cigarette smoking, 2014 to 2020The 2020 estimate is significantly lower than the 2014 estimate.-41.7%-46.4%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2013-14. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
3.Adult Tobacco Use: Adult tobacco use prevalence (e.g. cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other vaping products, other tobacco products)The estimate is significantly lower than the California general population.9.6%11.3%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Youth Tobacco Use
4.Youth Cigarette Use: Youth cigarette smoking prevalence1%1.2%
  • California Student Tobacco Survey, 2019-20. San Diego, CA: Center for Research and Intervention in Tobacco Control, University of California, San Diego.
5.Change in Youth Cigarette Use: Rate of change in youth cigarette smoking, 2016 to 2020The 2020 estimate is significantly lower than the 2016 estimate.-76.7%-72.1%
  • California Student Tobacco Survey, 2019-20. San Diego, CA: Center for Research and Intervention in Tobacco Control, University of California, San Diego.
  • California Student Tobacco Survey, 2015-16. San Diego, CA: Center for Research and Intervention in Tobacco Control, University of California, San Diego.
6.Youth Tobacco Use: Youth tobacco use prevalence (e.g. cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other vaping products, other tobacco products)The estimate is significantly lower than the California general population.8%9.7%
  • California Student Tobacco Survey, 2019-20. San Diego, CA: Center for Research and Intervention in Tobacco Control, University of California, San Diego.
Availability of Tobacco & Tobacco Industry Influence
7.Cheapest Cigarettes: Average price for the cheapest pack of cigarettes$6.99$7.11
  • Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, 2019. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2014-2018. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
8.Flavored Little Cigar Price: Average price for a single flavored little cigar/cigarillo$0.91$0.97
  • Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, 2016. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2011-2015. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
9.Tobacco Retail Licensing: Proportion of population protected by a strong tobacco retail licensing law59.8%59.5%
  • Policy Evaluation Tracking System, April 2021. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2015-2019. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Decennial Census, 2010. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
10.Tobacco Stores: Density of stores selling tobacco per 100,000 residentsThe estimate is 10.0 stores per 100,000 higher than the California general population.101.477
  • California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Retailer Licensees, November 2021. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
  • American Community Survey, 2014-2018. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Decennial Census, 2010. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
11.Flavored Tobacco: Proportion of stores that sell flavored non-cigarette tobacco products83.2%81.8%
  • Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, 2019. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2014-2018. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
12.Menthol Cigarettes: Proportion of stores that sell menthol cigarettes90.5%88.3%
  • Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, 2019. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2014-2018. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
13.Tobacco Advertising: Proportion of stores that keep 90% of their storefront free from any advertising32.2%40.1%
  • Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, 2019. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2014-2018. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
Secondhand Smoke
14.Adult Secondhand Tobacco Exposure: Proportion of adults exposed to secondhand smoke or vape36.9%35.2%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
15.Youth Secondhand Tobacco Exposure: Proportion of youth exposed to secondhand smoke or vapeThe estimate is significantly lower than the California general population.27.5%33.1%
  • California Student Tobacco Survey, 2019-20. San Diego, CA: Center for Research and Intervention in Tobacco Control, University of California, San Diego.
16.Smoke-free Multi-unit Housing: Proportion of population protected by a smoke-free multi-unit housing law61.4%66.7%
  • Policy Evaluation Tracking System, April 2021. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
  • American Community Survey, 2015-2019. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Decennial Census, 2010. Suitland, MD: U.S. Census Bureau.
17.Smoke-free Homes: Proportion of adults with smoke-free homes93.4%91.8%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Cessation
18.Quitting: Proportion of smokers who tried quitting in the last 12 months58.7%55.6%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
19.Doctor Advice to Quit: Proportion of smokers whose doctors advised them to quit38.4%46.8%
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2017-18. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Kick It California
Percent of Enrollees
Percent of Smokers
20.Kick It California Enrollees: Proportion of Kick It California enrolleesThe estimate is significantly lower than the population’s make-up of California’s adult smokers.21.7%35.5%of smokers are
Hispanic/Latino
  • California Smokers' Helpline Caller Intake Reports, 2020. San Diego, CA: California Smokers’ Helpline, University of California, San Diego.
  • California Health Interview Survey, 2019-20. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Organizations around the state are working
to fix tobacco-related health disparities.

Find out more about what each organization is doing to fight the
tobacco industry's predatory tactics.

How you can help

You have a voice and can make a difference.

Fix It!

A Story of Inequity

Tobacco’s Impact on Health Disparities in California

For decades, the tobacco industry has aggressively targeted California’s diverse communities with predatory practices. Internal documents from Big Tobacco outline their strategies – many of which are shocking attempts to peddle deadly products by way of product discounts and manipulative advertising. They even gave away free products to youth in the past. These tactics masquerade as support for communities under the guise of cultural celebration.

Unfortunately, the tactics have worked. Big Tobacco aggressively targeted communities and, as a result, some populations have higher rates of tobacco use, experience greater secondhand smoke exposure at work and at home, and have higher rates of tobacco-related disease than the general population.1

Addressing tobacco-related health inequities is key to California’s efforts to fight tobacco, our state’s number one cause of preventable death and disease.2 Tobacco use, pricing, and its impact across California were analyzed where significant disparities were found across various populations. See how Big Tobacco affects each community in the Nation’s most diverse state.

A Story Of Inequity Methodology >

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Tobacco-Related Disparities
  2. Extinguishing the Tobacco Epidemic in California, April 11, 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A Story of Inequity

Tobacco’s Impact on Health Disparities in California

For decades, the tobacco industry has aggressively targeted California’s diverse communities with predatory practices. Internal documents from Big Tobacco outline their strategies – many of which are shocking attempts to peddle deadly products by way of product discounts and manipulative advertising. They even gave away free products to youth in the past. These tactics masquerade as support for communities under the guise of cultural celebration.

Unfortunately, the tactics have worked. Big Tobacco aggressively targeted communities and, as a result, some populations have higher rates of tobacco use, experience greater secondhand smoke exposure at work and at home, and have higher rates of tobacco-related disease than the general population.1

Addressing tobacco-related health inequities is key to California’s efforts to fight tobacco, our state’s number one cause of preventable death and disease.2 Tobacco use, pricing, and its impact across California were analyzed where significant disparities were found across various populations. See how Big Tobacco affects each community in the Nation’s most diverse state.

A Story Of Inequity Methodology >

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Tobacco-Related Disparities
  2. Extinguishing the Tobacco Epidemic in California, April 11, 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention