Flavored cigar smoking among African American young adult dual users: An ecological momentary assessment. (1st March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen-Sankey, Julia Cen; Choi, Kelvin; Kirchner, Thomas R.; Feldman, Robert H.; Butler, James; Mead, Erin L.
• Is Part Of: Drug and alcohol dependence. Volume 196(2019)
• Page Start: 79
• Page End: 85
• Publication Date: 2019-03-01
• Subjects: Cigars -- Flavored cigars -- Health disparities -- Ecological momentary assessment -- Flavored tobacco -- Smoking cues -- Mood -- Craving -- Young adults -- Dual use; Drug abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.12.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0376-8716

Abstract

Highlights: Flavored cigar smoking is prevalent among African American young adult dual users. Alcohol flavored cigars are particularly popular among this group. This group uses various cigar flavors for different purposes. They use alcohol flavors for boosting mood and sweet flavors for smoking blunts. Ecological Momentary Assessment shows real-time cigar smoking with various flavors. Abstract: Background: Flavored cigar sales have increased in recent years in the U.S. African American young adults (AAYAs) have high prevalence of smoking flavored cigars and dual use with cigarettes, but the predictors of use are unclear. We examined the predictors of flavored cigar smoking among AAYA dual users. Methods: We analyzed data from an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) study that captured near real-time affect, smoking cues, and tobacco smoking from eight text-messaging surveys per day over two weeks. Sixty-three AAYA (ages 18–29) dual users of cigarettes and cigars recorded 1205 cigar smoking moments. Multivariable Generalized Estimating Equations were used to assess the predictors of smoking cigars with flavors and specific flavor types. Results: Half of the participants were women (49.2%) and aged between 18–24 (46.7%). Over the two-weeks, almost all (98.4%) participants smoked flavored cigars, and 64.2% of the cigars smoked were flavored. Alcohol (34.4%) was the most frequently smoked flavor type followed by sweet (23.4%) and mint (5.7%). Feeling stressed (AOR = 1.07) and bored (AOR = 1.10) predicted smoking alcohol flavors. Blunt smoking positively predicted smoking sweet flavors (AOR = 4.79), but negatively predicted smoking alcohol flavors (AOR = 0.40). Conclusions: Smoking flavored cigars, especially alcohol-flavored cigars, was prevalent among AAYA dual users in this study. This group might use specific flavors for different purposes including smoking blunts and boosting mood. Efforts to reduce cigar use need to tackle these risk factors and the increased marketing and low-cost pricing of cigars. A federal ban of cigar flavors might reduce the appeal of cigar products.