The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47813

Ruth E. Malone, RN, PhD and Valerie B. Yerger, MA, ND. Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California St., Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143-0936, (415) 476-3273, rmalone@itsa.ucsf.edu

The tobacco industry has long portrayed itself as a friend of the African American community, and sought to sustain close relationships with African American leaders and promotional opportunities through leadership groups. However, in their private marketing documents, they understand African Americans somewhat more cynically-as vulnerable to specific marketing tactics due to their historically marginalized position within American society. This paper will use information from internal tobacco industry documents to contrast the industry's public postures with their private characterizations and show how tobacco companies worked to exploit social vulnerability in order to keep African Americans smoking. Funding: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Grant No. 9RT-0095 , National Cancer Institute, Grant No. 1 R01 CA87472-01

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will

• Discuss how the tobacco industry characterizes African Americans as consumers.

Keywords: Tobacco Industry, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.