Skip to main content

Breath of Freedom

Young adults walking down the street

Reclaiming health as a form of liberation

Logo for Breath of Freedom

Community Coalition

Breath of Freedom – part of the Culture + Cessation Collectiveis a coalition of community leaders that are reclaiming the narrative around tobacco use in Black communities, equipping Black individuals with the tools, education, and communal support needed to quit. Tobacco companies have long exploited Black communities through predatory marketing, especially of menthol cigarettes, which has contributed to higher use and more tobacco-related disease. This coalition is not just about cessation—it’s about reclaiming health as a form of liberation.

JOIN

Tobacco use and nicotine addiction

Black communities are disproportionately impacted by tobacco due to a combination of factors, including a history of targeted marketing, systemic inequities, and discrimination.

  • Black Americans have higher death rates from tobacco-related causes and are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke than any other racial or ethnic group.
  • 80.9% of Black American smokers use menthol cigarettes, and about 45,000 Black Americans die from smoking-related disease each year.