Blunt Use among Adolescents and Young Adults: Informing Cigar Regulations

Abstract

Objectives: We used focus groups to understand cigar product features that increase the appeal of blunts (hollowed out cigars filled with marijuana) among adolescents and young adults. Methods: With a standardized focus group guide, we assessed cigar use behaviors and perceptions among lifetime cigar users (N = 47; 8 focus groups separated by sex and age group [adolescents, young adults]) in 2016. We analyzed data related to blunts. Results: Overall, 85.5% of the participants had smoked a blunt in the past 30 days (38% used daily). Participants perceived that cheap cigar brands were used primarily for blunts. Cigar product features that made them useful for blunts included wide availability, easy accessibility (easy to bypass underage purchasing restrictions), attractive flavors, inexpensive cost, perforated wrappers that make cigars easy to open, and ability to remove the inner wrapper (also referred to as “cancer paper”) to reduce the risk of harm. Conclusions: Various product features of cigars make it easy for adolescents and young adults to manipulate them to create blunts. Tobacco regulations that include restrictions on product characteristics, as well as enforcement of prohibition of sales of cigars to underage minors are needed. Youth also need to be educated about harms of blunt use.

Presence of High-Intensity Sweeteners in Popular Cigarillos of Varying Flavor Profiles

“…Market sales data were used to identify the highest-selling US cigarillo flavors of 2016, which were categorized as (1) classic (such as original ), (2) sweet , or (3) with characterizing flavor (such as grape or wine ). For the purposes of the study, we purchased in July 2017 at least 1 cigarillo per flavor category from the 6 top selling US brands of 2016 and one brand popular with local youths …”

The importance of cigarillo product characteristics among young adult cigarillo users: Differences by demographics, cigarillo use and other tobacco/substance use behaviors

“…When assessing cigarillo use, it is difficult to disentangle use of the product for smoking tobacco versus smoking blunts [31], a behavior that is particularly common among young adults [11,32,33]. This is an important distinction since research suggests that individuals may prefer different cigarillo product characteristics depending on how they intend to use the cigarillo (i.e., for tobacco or for blunt use) [11,32].…”

“…When assessing cigarillo use, it is difficult to disentangle use of the product for smoking tobacco versus smoking blunts [31], a behavior that is particularly common among young adults [11,32,33]. This is an important distinction since research suggests that individuals may prefer different cigarillo product characteristics depending on how they intend to use the cigarillo (i.e., for tobacco or for blunt use) [11,32]. For example, Giovenco et al found that young adults used different cigarillo brands for different purposes; Swisher Sweets were perceived as being used to smoke blunts, while Black & Milds were perceived as being used to smoke tobacco [11].…”

Cigarillo Flavor and Motivation to Quit among Co-Users of Cigarillos and Cannabis: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Three-quarters of cannabis users and two-thirds of blunt (removing tobacco from cigar wrapper and replacing with cannabis) users use cigars [30,31]. Qualitative research suggests that cigarillos are preferred for cannabis use because flavoring masks the smell [32,33] and enhances the experience of creating and smoking blunts [33]. Flavor is among the most highly valued tobacco product attributes for blunt use [34], and one study has reported that 83% of adults who have ever tried a blunt used a flavored cigar wrapper [35].…”