Each year the tobacco industry spends $164 million marketing their product in Missouri. This advertising is targeted to specific population groups, particularly adolescent, low income, low education, women, minorities, and LGBT. [i]

Adolescents are approximately three times more sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and about one-third of underage experimentation with smoking is a result of tobacco company advertising. i

In 2001, almost one in three (30.3%) of Missouri high school students reported they had smoked one or more cigarettes during the past 30 days. i

In Missouri, the smoking rate for African Americans (25.5%) is slightly lower than whites (27.2%). i

In 2001, 36.1% of Missouri Hispanics reported they smoked. i

In Missouri, smoking is increasingly associated with those socially disadvantaged. i

In 2000, smoking among Missouri’s unemployed was 63.8 percent. i

The smoking rate of Missourians with incomes between $15,000 and $24,999 was 36.6 percent while smoking rates for adults with an income below $15,000 was 34.9 percent, both are much higher than the Missouri adult rate of 27.2 percent. i

Current smoking in Missouri is higher among individuals with less than a high school education (36.7 percent) and high school graduates (33.3 percent) than those with some college (26.8 percent) and college graduates (14.2 percent). i

A 1999 household based survey found that 48.5% of gay and bisexual men reported smoking compared to 28.6 % of straight men.[ii]

A study shows that 56% of lesbians are current or former smokers (compared to 36% of women in general). [iii]

The CDC has reported in their Youth Risk Behavior Survey that 59% of teenagers who classified themselves as LGBT reported using tobacco compared to 35% of straight teens. [iv]