Smoking kills far more gays than AIDs...

It's about time - a campaign to help stop gay people smoking. Smoking kills far more gay people than AIDs.

Los Angeles County's health department on Thursday unveiled the "Last Drag" an innovative campaign to curb smoking among gays - the largest single group of smokers in the state.

A study released last month by the California Department of Health Services shows that more than 30 percent of the state's gay community smokes. (story) The figure is double the state average of 15.4 percent.

In announcing the campaign Thursday Los Angeles County's Tobacco Control and Prevention Project said the initiative will consist of smoking cessation workshops specifically developed for LGBT individuals, advertising, a Web site and the first-ever gay anti-smoking street team.

The statewide data released last month shows that lesbians and bi women smoked almost triple (32.5 percent) that of general population women (11.9 percent). Gay and bi men smoked at 27.4 percent, significantly more than California men in general at 19.1 percent.

The highest smoking rates were among LGBT 18 to 24 year olds at 43.7 percent - 2.5 times the overall smoking rate of this age group in California at 16.6 percent. Lesbians 18 to 24 years old smoked at 47.0 percent, while gay men were close behind at 37.4 percent.

In 2004, there were only 237 cases of AIDs in all of Canada, and only 60 deaths. When will the gay community in Canada wake up?