Colorado Black Health
Collaborative

For decades, the tobacco industry has sold more than a product—it has sold an image. An image of being smooth. Fresh. Effortless. Cool. But for Black communities, that image didn’t appear by accident. It was carefully designed, strategically placed, and relentlessly reinforced. Today, as policies like Denver’s flavored tobacco ban begin to shift the landscape, we have an opportunity to redefine what “cool” really means—and reclaim our health in the process. How “Cool” Was Ma

As we honor Black History Month this February, the Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC) celebrates the resilience, leadership, and contributions of Black communities — not only in Colorado but across the nation. This month is both a reflection on our powerful history and a renewed commitment to advancing health equity, including the urgent work of tobacco and nicotine prevention and cessation. Honoring a Legacy of Health Advocacy Black leaders have long stood at the for

Youth tobacco use in Colorado is shifting, but not evenly across communities. While the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) shows encouraging declines in vaping and cigarette use overall, the data also highlight a persistent truth: Black youth are still disproportionately exposed to menthol products and disproportionately punished for tobacco-related behaviors. These disparities reflect the intersection of targeted tobacco marketing, unequal access to support, and school