Unpacking Cigar Product Familiarity and Terminology among Black and Hispanic Youth: It’s All about Blunts

Dawnyéa D. Jackson, Emily C. Sanders, Molly Barry, Dana E. Wagner, Megan Wall Vigorita and Mario A. Navarro
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Dawnyéa D. Jackson: Rescue Agency, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003, USA
Emily C. Sanders: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Tobacco Products, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
Molly Barry: Rescue Agency, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003, USA
Dana E. Wagner: Rescue Agency, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20003, USA
Megan Wall Vigorita: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Tobacco Products, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
Mario A. Navarro: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Tobacco Products, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: The prevalence rate of Cigar, Little Cigar, and Cigarillo (CLCC) use among youth rose above the rate of cigarettes for the first time in 2019, and Black and Hispanic youth remain disproportionately more susceptible and likely to use these products compared to White youth. Addressing this disparity through education requires a clearer understanding of the ways youth refer to, and group, CLCCs. Twenty-eight virtual focus groups with youth ages 13–17 ( n = 105) were conducted across the U.S. Groups were split by race/ethnicity, with 14 Black and 14 Hispanic groups, and further divided by CLCC experimenters and susceptible users. Youth participants discussed CLCC use behaviors, harm and risk perceptions, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about CLCC products. When shown photos of CLCC products during focus groups, youth across groups identified and labeled these products into four subcategories. Large cigars were universally labeled “cigars”. Little cigars were unfamiliar and guessed to be cigarettes. Tipped cigarillos were synonymous with the brand Black and Mild and considered tobacco. Untipped cigarillos were most referred to as “blunts” and used with marijuana. Understanding the nuances of language and use patterns of CLCCs is critical to ensuring the accuracy of measurement and impact of public health communications.

Keywords: cigars; little cigars; cigarillos; youth; terminology; tobacco; marijuana; tobacco education; public health; health communications (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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