Physical Health

It's more than the gym. Whether you're taking your first yoga class, choosing healthier foods or deciding to quit smoking, physical health is an important part of gay men's lives. This section provides resources, articles and information about how you can live a longer, healthier life. We also have listings for our Professional Volunteers who specialize in physical health.

Fags who smoke fags

Posted by HIM on Sunday November 21st, 2010

Got a smoke? Need a light? Can I bum a fag?

Clever pick up lines aside, gays have a tenuous relationship with cigarettes. They comfort us, tempt us, and have a great slimming effect on us. Oh and they contribute to a wide assortment of health problems from impotence and leathery skin to cancer and emphysema. The latter of these are the tip of the iceberg, considering cigarettes contribute to a shortening of lifespan by an average of 13 years. Are you bored of these messages yet? They really don't seem to be working.

In fact, amongst the gay community, there is still a much higher prevalence of smokers than is observed in our heterosexual counterparts. So is this another time where gay men have been sought out and victimized by society? Maybe. I mean the tobacco industry does have a penchant for targeting impressionable or vulnerable demographics.

However, I don't think that now is the time to play the victim card; nor is it time to beat yourself up about not being able to quit your second favourite oral fixation. Instead, take a look at the ambitious project called Gay American Smoke Out. This helpful website not only has strategies and products to help you quit smoking, but also provides some supportive content to help quit, visit www.gaysmokeout.net