Every movement starts with big questions. What do you want to do? How are you going to do it? Who is it for?
Quit Culture’s goal is to create a community that gives people trying to quit smoking a place to support each other and helps reduce smoking in Greater Cincinnati’s Black communities. That starts by offering positive support however we can. Wherever you are on your quitting journey, Quit Culture has resources, events and connections to real people (check out our Facebook Group!) that can help stop you from picking up another cigarette.
Here are three of the biggest reasons why now is the right time to get involved.
There’s never been a more important time to quit
While Black people and white people smoke cigarettes at similar rates, Black people are more likely to die of smoking-related illnesses. That’s partially because Black people face a biased health care system every day—a problem that’s even bigger during the pandemic. COVID-19 has hit Black communities harder because of the unequal system that limits resources and jobs. And smoking adds to health problems like heart and lung disease that make COVID-19 more dangerous. If there was ever a time to quit—now is it.
Smoking has increased during the pandemic
People are stressed because of the pandemic. The way we spend our time has also changed, with movies, live events and other gatherings restricted. Both of these can cause people to smoke more. Quit Culture gives people a space to take their mind off smoking, celebrate their wins and vent their frustrations. We host free virtual events to help deal with common smoking triggers like stress or boredom, and our website can point you to different resources to help you quit, like our free mobile app.
The tobacco industry targets Black communities on purpose
It’s not an accident that Black neighborhoods see more cigarette ads and have more stores that sell tobacco than other communities. For decades, tobacco companies have spent tons of money to make smoking menthols, cigars and cigarillos feel like a part of Black culture.
The truth is that the tobacco industry hand-picked menthol cigarettes to trade Black Americans’ health for money—and it worked. Black smokers are almost four times more likely to use menthol cigarettes than white smokers. Quit Culture wants to help change that.
As Quit Culture starts to grow, we hope you will be a part of the movement. Whether you’re trying to quit yourself or know someone who can use some help, getting involved is a good first step. Together, we can build a community that inspires each other to quit.
