The tobacco industry's track record of targeting racial, ethnic and sexual minorities has been challenged by a group of leading minority health advocacy groups working on behalf of these communities. Advocates for communities of color and the lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LGBT) communities filed an amicus brief to urge the court to hold the tobacco industry accountable for the damage it has caused to these communities.

"For the first time ever African-American, Asian, Latino, American Indian and LGBT communities have come together to demand justice for our communities that have been devastated by the tobacco industry," said Sherri Watson-Hyde, executive director of the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network and co-signer to the brief. "At the heart of the Department of Justice's case to prove tobacco industry violations of RICO is how this industry engaged in deception to target minorities and mislead the public," continued Watson-Hyde.

Tobacco use and its harmful effects disproportionately impact minorities, including the African American, Asian, Latino, American Indian and LGBT communities. For years, tobacco companies have targeted minority communities through concerted, long term initiatives that include the overconcentration of billboards in minority communities, sponsorship and influence of minority organizations, hip hop oriented promotions and specially flavored tobacco products .

As a result, minority groups suffer disproportionately from tobacco related death and disease - in some communities such as Native American, African American and LBGT communities, use, morbidity and mortality rates are much higher than that of whites.

Often these same groups have fewer resources to address the health concerns that result. A coalition of Asian American Pacific-Islander, African American, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native and LGBT organizations are calling attention to the health impacts on these communities, holding the tobacco industry accountable for their actions and working to guarantee that money is there to help address some of the damages these communities have suffered.

Dr. David Haltiwanger, co-chair of the National Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Health believes that the brief is an important first step in a broader discussion about needs and priorities in achieving health outcomes in traditionally underserved communities. "We know that the rates of tobacco-related death and disease drop faster in those communities that have services and infrastructure to deal with the epidemic than those that do not."

"History has shown us that without clear direction from the courts, the agencies entrusted to administer remedies to problems that now exist in these communities as a result of tobacco's years and years of deceptive practices often ignore or inadequately address our communities' needs," says Rod Lew, executive director of Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership.

Gerry Rainingbird, project director of the National Tribal Tobacco Prevention Network agrees. "This case is critically important to our communities. For too long, American Indians and Alaska Natives have had to face the growing epidemic of death and disease related to commercial tobacco in our communities with little resources. Our issues were often left out of legal discussions to provide remedies. This court has an historic opportunity to change all that."

The brief was coordinated through the Center on Race, Healthcare and the Law at the University of Dayton Law School in Dayton Ohio. The impact of this case could result in a significant difference in the health status of minority communities.