Does tobacco industry marketing excessively impact lesbian, gay and bisexual communities?

BACKGROUND: Tobacco industry documents have revealed marketing plans specifically to reach lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) populations. Research supports a causal linkage between receptivity and exposure to tobacco industry marketing and tobacco use uptake among adolescents. Pro-tobacco messages may diminish the effectiveness of tobacco control activities and contribute to the high smoking prevalence among LGB populations. OBJECTIVE: To compare receptivity and exposure to tobacco industry marketing between LGB and heterosexual populations. METHODS: Nearly 400 gay or bisexual men and more than 600 lesbian or bisexual women were identified in the 2003-2006 Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state-wide, population-based telephone survey of adults. The BRFSS included questions measuring receptivity and exposure to tobacco industry marketing. Multiple logistic regression models stratified by gender were used to assess differences for lesbians, gays and bisexuals separately, in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. RESULTS: As expected, smoking prevalence was higher among LGB populations than among heterosexuals. After adjustment for demographic differences and smoking status, gay and bisexual men reported more exposure to tobacco industry marketing (free sample distribution) than straight men, but were equally receptive to it. Lesbian and bisexual women were more receptive to and reported more exposure to tobacco industry marketing than straight women. CONCLUSION: LGB communities, especially lesbian and bisexual women, appear to be effectively targeted by tobacco industry marketing activities. Strategies to limit tobacco industry marketing, and increase individuals' resistance to marketing, may be critical to reducing smoking among LGB populations.

Gene transfer facilitated by a cellular targeting molecule, reovirus protein sigma1.

To facilitate eventual genetic vaccination of mucosal tissues, a receptor-mediated gene transfer system was devised using the reovirus adhesin, protein sigma1. Highly efficient uptake and internalization of protein sigma1 polylysine (PL) DNA complexes could be demonstrated by fluorescent microscopy. Successful cellular transfection of rodent and human cell lines was obtained with the recombinant protein sigma1 as a PL-DNA complex, and could be shown to be receptor-specific. Transfection efficiency was dependent upon the ratio of DNA complexed to protein sigma1-PL and chloroquine treatment improved transfection efficiency dramatically. To test its ability to bind a mucosal inductive tissue, recombinant protein sigma1 was specifically bound to the nasal-associated lymphoid tissues (NALT). Thus, recombinant protein sigma1-PL-DNA conjugates can efficiently bind and transfect cells that express the receptor for protein sigma1. Gene Therapy (2000) 7, 61-69.