Marshall Poe
Marshall Poe
Keith Wailoo, "Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette" (U Chicago Press, 2021)
Keith Wailoo, "Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette" (U Chicago Press, 2021)
Keith Wailoo, "Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette" (U Chicago Press, 2021)
Monday 31st January 2022
Keith Wailoo discusses his book on how menthol cigarettes were marketed to African-Americans, revealing a hidden history of racial exploitation.
56 minutes
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Marshall Poe
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Get the buttons here!Menthol Cigarettes: The Hidden Story of Racial Marketing
The disproportionate Black deaths and cries of “I can’t breathe” that ring out in our era — because of police violence, COVID-19, or menthol smoking — are intimately connected to a post-1960s history of race and exploitation.
Picture this: Eric Garner's tragic death on a New York street corner for selling cigarettes, or George Floyd's killing outside a store known for menthols. These incidents are not isolated. In this episode of 'New Books in Drugs, Addiction and Recovery', Keith Wailoo, a professor at Princeton University, dives deep into his book *Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the Untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette*.
He unravels the intricate web of how menthol cigarettes became a staple among Black smokers through targeted marketing and exploitation post-1960s. Wailoo takes us behind the scenes, revealing how tobacco marketers, consultants, psychologists, and even Black lawmakers and civic groups like the NAACP played roles in this narrative. The episode uncovers how the tobacco industry meticulously crafted campaigns to hook African-American consumers on menthols.
Through archival research made available by lawsuits in the 80s and 90s, Wailoo exposes the industry's relentless pursuit of racial markets. You'll hear about the fierce competition among tobacco companies and the FDA's involvement in regulating these products. But it's not just about business tactics; Wailoo also sheds light on the devastating health impacts of menthol cigarettes on Black communities. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the complex interplay between race, health, and corporate greed.
Wailoo's insights are raw and enlightening, offering a sobering look at how menthol cigarettes have contributed to disproportionate Black deaths and cries of 'I can't breathe'. If you're curious about the untold stories behind one of America's most insidious public health issues, this episode is for you.