Redefining “Cool” in the Mile High City

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 Manufactured

Beginning in the mid-1900s, tobacco companies heavily targeted Black communities with menthol cigarettes. Through advertisements in Black magazines, sponsorship of cultural events, and partnerships in trusted neighborhood spaces like barbershops and corner stores, menthol

products became deeply embedded in everyday life.

The messaging was clear:

Menthol is smoother, cleaner, and better

But that “smoothness” had a hidden cost.

Menthol makes it easier to start smoking and harder to quit. It masks the harshness of tobacco, allowing nicotine to be inhaled more deeply—leading to stronger addiction and greater harm over time.

The result? Today, the vast majority of Black smokers use menthol cigarettes—a direct outcome of decades of targeted marketing, not individual choice alone.

A New Era of Influence

While traditional cigarette ads have declined, the strategy hasn’t disappeared—it’s evolved.

Today’s tobacco and nicotine products show up through:

● Social media influencers

● Music and pop culture imagery

● Sleek, tech-inspired vape designs

● Nicotine pouches marketed as “clean” alternatives

The language is different, but the goal is the same: make nicotine use look normal, desirable, and culturally relevant.

What used to be a billboard on the corner is now an algorithm in your pocket.

A Turning Point: What Denver’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Means

In response to the long history of targeted harm, Denver took a major step forward by banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol.

This policy is more than regulation—it’s a public health intervention rooted in equity.

Why does it matter?

● Reduces youth access: Flavored products are often the first entry point for

young people

● Disrupts targeted marketing: Menthol has been disproportionately marketed

to Black communities

● Supports quitting: Removing menthol products can increase quit attempts and success

This is about more than limiting options—it’s about expanding opportunity for healthier futures.

Redefining What “Cool” Really Means

For generations, “cool” was something sold to us.

But today, we get to define it for ourselves.

What if “cool” looked like:

● Prioritizing mental and physical health

● Breaking cycles of addiction in our families

● Creating tobacco-nicotine-free spaces for our youth

● Building generational wealth instead of funding addiction

What if “cool” meant choosing ourselves?

Moving Forward as a Community

Policy change is powerful—but real change happens in the community.

That means:

● Having open conversations about tobacco and nicotine

● Supporting loved ones who want to quit

● Challenging the normalization of nicotine use in our spaces

● Investing in culturally relevant prevention and cessation programs

The same cultural strength that was once leveraged against us can now be a force for healing.

The Bottom Line

The idea of “cool” was never neutral—it was created.

But now, we have the power to reshape it.

Denver’s flavored tobacco ban is one step toward undoing decades of harm. The next step is ours.

Because real cool isn’t addiction; real cool is freedom.

info@cololoradoblackhealth.org | Phone: 720.579.2126

www.coloradoblackhealth.org