*
'T' 4k 4k
DECEMBER 7 . 2002 • Q-NOTES.
13
"Project SCUM" targeted gay smokers
Mid-1990's RJ Reynolds marketing
effort uncovered
WASHINGTON, DC — The American Lung
Association discovered a major tobacco mar
keting document among those forced to be
made public by tobacco companies as part of
the “1998 Master _
Settlement
Agreement."
The RJ Reynolds
marketing effort,
“Subculture Urban
Marketing" — specifically targeting San
Franciso’s gays as well as poor communities
— was termed, “Project SCUM” by the tobac
co company.
Asked about the document, an R]R
spokesperson, David Howard, said, “We look
to reach a diverse audience so we have equal
ly diverse marketing behind each of our
brands. We want to reach as wide an audience
of adult smokers as possible.”
New TV ads target
The American Legacy Foundation recently
began running a new series of truth ads
revealing the “Project SCUM” document.
“Our ‘Project Scum’ truth ad forces one of
the leading tobacco manufacturers to come
clean with regard to targeting gay consumers,”
said Dr. Cheryl Healton, President and CEO of
the American Legacy Foundation. “Project
Scum” is yet another disturbing example of
how the tobacco industry markets its addictive
and lethal products,” she added.
“Project SCUM is troubling not only
because of a major tobacco company's offen
sive characterization of the gay community,
but because the industry is targeting us. LCBT
smoking rates are estimated to be double that
of the general population,” said Bob Gordon,
Vice President of the CLASH, the Coalition of
Lavender Americans on Smoking & Health.
“We need to learn more about tobacco use
in the LGBT com-
munity so we
can fight such
targeting tactics
in the future,”
said Gordon.
Tobacco Company
The Coalition of Lavender Americans on
Smoking & Health, with national public health
and advocacy groups, held a day-long summit
in November to address the need for more
research on tobacco use in the
LGBTcommunity.
"Project SCUM" one of "Orange Curtain" ads
The American Legacy Foundation present
ed the “Orange Curtain” ads at the conference
and discussed its efforts to reduce tobacco use
by this community.
The American Legacy Foundation is airing
the “Project SCUM” truth ad as part of its new
“Orange Curtain” series of truth advertise
ments. The ad features a teen pulling back an
orange curtain and reading a copy of the actu
al tobacco industry document describing
“Project SCUM.”
The ad will air on BET, MTV, MTV2, WB,
WB SYND, and WWE. In addition, the
Foundation will be placing a series of print ads
in many of the major GLBT publications.
The American Legacy Foundation’s truth
campaign has helped produce dramatic
declines in teen smoking by revealing the
tobacco industry’s marketing tactics as well as
the health consequences of smoking.
“This outrageous behavior towards the
LGBT community is particularly disturbing
because of the disproportionately high rates of
smoking among this population,” said Healton.
LGBT kids' smoking way above US average
Estimated, smoking rates for GLBT youth
range from 38 percent to 59 percent, far above
the approximately 30 percent national average
for all adolescents. To address this disparity,
the American Legacy Foundation created its
$21 million grants program to serve the GLBT
community, as well as other underserved
communities. Examples of the numerous
grants it has already made to the GLBT com
munity include:
• Fenway Institute, LGBT Incubation
Project, Massachusetts
A grant to help bring together healthcare
providers, tobacco control experts, and com
munity members to develop successful inter
vention techniques for the LGBT population.
• Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay
Community Center, Tobacco
Awareness Program, California
A grant to help the center conduct a media-
based counter marketing advertising cam
paign, supported by outreach volunteers,
through small, targeted discussion groups and
venue-based media.
• Mautncr Project, Washington, DC
A grant to develop a national anti-smoking
media and counter-marketing campaign
aimed specifically at lesbian women over the
age of 40.
Attention
Gay Men
Researchers at Elon University
are looking for
gay men of all ages
to participate in an
important survey about
men’s attitudes
about their appearance.
Participation is confidential and
the first 100 participants
to return a completed survey
will receive $15.
All participants will have a
chance to win
one of five, $100 prizes.
To participate, send us an
email at:
surveyelon@elon.edu.
Please state your willingness to
participate, and your current
mailing address.
Or call 336-278-6470 and leave
the information on voice mail.
ant tlie
^eeJ to ^ tlie
.V,/
til
en [o
t
316 Rensselaer Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28203
704.376.1617
pinkhousenc.com
nrCN Every