Abstract
Although Black/African American populations have high cigar-smoking prevalence, little is known about cigar-smoking cessation among this group. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of cigar-smoking cessation and assistance received from healthcare providers among forty Black young-adult cigar smokers (ages 21–29). Semi-structured in-depth phone interviews were transcribed and coded. Qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. Participants mostly smoked cigarillos, large cigars, and blunts. Overall, many regular cigarillo smokers reported interest in quitting eventually, while large-cigar and blunt smokers shared less interest in quitting because they perceived low harm from smoking these products. The reasons for cigar-smoking cessation were health concerns and financial constraints. Most of the participants who attempted to quit cigars did not use any cessation aids. The reasons for relapse included nicotine withdrawal, stress, and easy access. Additionally, most participants reported their healthcare providers did not ask whether they smoked cigars, and even when they knew, little assistance for cigar-smoking cessation was provided. Informing Black cigar smokers of the harm of cigar smoking and encouraging healthcare providers to screen for and assist with cigar-smoking cessation may alleviate the health burden of cigar smoking in this population.
Highlights
Non-Hispanic Black/African American adults in the US experienced a significant increase in cigar-smoking prevalence between 2002 and 2016, while the prevalence among other racial/ethnic adults remained stable [1]
By using semi-structured in-depth interviews, this study explored the topics related to the perceptions of and experiences with cigar-smoking cessation and the assistance received from healthcare providers for cigar-smoking cessation among Black young-adult cigar smokers
Low motivation to quit cigar products may be influenced by young adults’ perceptions of low risk and harm from cigar smoking, a finding which is supported by previous research [13,31]
Summary
Non-Hispanic Black/African American adults in the US experienced a significant increase in cigar-smoking prevalence between 2002 and 2016, while the prevalence among other racial/ethnic adults remained stable [1]. This trend threatens to exacerbate existing tobacco-related health disparities for Black adults, as cigar smoking is associated with detrimental health outcomes, including lung, oral, and esophageal cancers [2]. Cigarillos or little cigars, the most commonly used types of cigar products in the US, can contain a greater amount of tobacco and more carcinogens per gram than cigarettes [4], and they may promote nicotine dependence and expose users to a considerable amount of carbon monoxide [5].
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