These perceived high smoking rates inspired Affirmations to collect information on the number of actual smokers in the LGBT community and gather their views on the health, social and economic aspects involved with smoking.

It also prompted their support for a Michigan bill that would ban smoking in places of employment, such as bars and restaurants.

Affirmations’ study — using information compiled in 2006 — revealed that 53 percent of the more than 350 people surveyed were past or current smokers, 33 percent of which identified as current smokers.

The average age of survey respondents was 35, with a range of 16 to 66. Most respondents, 76 percent, identified as gay or lesbian, 14 percent identified as bisexual and 2 percent identified as heterosexual, according to the study.

Contributing factors to smoking for LGBT people include heightened stress levels, increased incidence of substance use, reduced access to health care and targeted marketing by the tobacco industry, according to the study.

Mandi Rabe, a member of People Respecting the Individuality of Students at MSU, or PRISM, said she doesn’t see the LGBT community as being affected by smoking more than any other population.

“I think it’s still a stereotype that the queer population does more drugs,” said Rabe, a political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore. “With my own involvement in the community, I don’t see it any more. Clearly out of all the stereotypes, it’s one of the least worrisome — but it’s still something that needs to be dealt with.”

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,000 LGBT people die from tobacco-related diseases each year.

Smoking also increases the risk of blood clots in transgender women who take estrogen, and heart disease in transgender men who take testosterone, according to the National Coalition for LGBT Health.

David Jaques, president of Respecting Individuals on Neutral Grounds, or RING, said the number of LGBT and heterosexual smokers seems to be proportionate.

“It’s like saying gay people ride more bikes than straight people — there’s not a correlation in my mind,” he said.

The difference in generations also should be taken into account, Jaques said. Older people seem to smoke more than younger people, he said.

Jaques, who said he doesn’t go to bars or clubs very often, said banning smoking would only make it more enjoyable to go out.

The smoking bill, which passed the House of Representatives Commerce Committee in July, would amend the Public Health code to prohibit smoking in a place of employment.

Ken Pace, manager of Spiral Video Dance Bar in Lansing, said he has heard that LGBT people smoke more, but isn’t sure that it applies to Spiral, which is known as a gay bar.

Pace said he wouldn’t support a ban on smoking in the club because deciding whether to smoke or not should be left to each individual.

But he said he doesn’t think it would decrease business at all.

“I don’t think that people would not go out because they can’t smoke,” he said.

“Some of the things that come with bars and drinking as a social venue lead to drinking and smoking because of that,” Larkin said. “Having bars as a gathering place contributes to the myth that smoking is a big part of the community.”