Tobacco Use in African American Women

In this essay, the researcher will shine a light on the issue of tobacco use by African American women aged 40-50. It is known that African American women start smoking later than white women. Current studies claim that young African American women stay away from cigarettes and concern about their own health (Roberts 2016). However, the older generation got into the bad habit of smoking. It is interesting to investigate how tobacco smoking of African American women are connected with the emerging commercials and public policies because many of them are strongly based on those women bad habits dependency. Tobacco Use in African American Women

In earlier times, a man condemned women, who smoke. It was a sign of loose morals. In the 17^th century, Dutch artists painted only whores with cigarettes in their hands. It sounds like music to my ears. In 1908, one woman was even arrested in New York for smoking, and the U.N Congress decided to ban women from smoking in the D.C. Smoking women were treated as fallen (Holford 2016). However, rebels decided to ruin everything. For example, George Sands painted women, who smoke despite social mores. The problem lies not in pictures of smoking women but inspiration with harmful desire. Over the years, things have changed. Women were allowed complete freedom of action. Tobacco companies decided to use it for their own benefit. Canada and the United States organized the anti-tobacco movements and women were main actors in it.  The First World War triggered women to start smoking (CDC 2017). The war forced them to adopt men’s habits, including smoking. Tobacco companies used women’s values to manipulate them. Oh, these villains.

The President of American Tobacco, George Hill invented a smart and tricky way to sell cigarettes to women (McAfee 2015). The advertisement of the Lucky Strike was genius. George Hill hit women on a sore spot – their weight. The message Reach for Lucky instead of a sweet was extremely successful. These cigarettes became the best selling, and it has made the owner very rich. Tobacco Use in African American Women