Nearly 30% of flavored cigar smokers say they would switch to cannabis if flavored cigars were banned | Research

The takeaway

In a national survey of 343 flavored cigar smokers, 29.2% said they would substitute cannabis if flavored cigars were restricted, with racial/ethnic minorities more likely to make this switch.

Tobacco control policymakers, public health officials, and researchers studying substance substitution effects.

29% of flavored cigar smokers would switch to cannabis under a ban

What the researchers found

In response to a hypothetical flavored cigar sales restriction, 15.1% would quit cigars, 41.6% would smoke plain cigars, 33.4% would switch to other flavored tobacco, and 29.2% would substitute cannabis. Blunt smokers and large cigar smokers were less likely to quit. Racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to substitute cannabis.

Why it matters

Tobacco flavor bans may have unintended consequences, including increasing cannabis use, particularly among populations already experiencing substance use disparities.

The numbers in context

343 flavored cigar smokers; 15.1% would quit; 41.6% would smoke plain; 33.4% would switch to other flavored tobacco; 29.2% would switch to cannabis.

How the study worked

Online survey of a nationally representative sample of 343 adult flavored cigar smokers (age ≥21) in 2021. Weighted logistic regressions examined associations between demographics, tobacco history, and behavioral change intentions in response to a hypothetical restriction.

What this study cannot tell us

Hypothetical scenario; stated intentions may not match actual behavior. Self-selected online sample. Small sample size. Cannabis substitution may reflect existing dual use rather than new initiation.

How to read the evidence

Nationally representative survey, but hypothetical scenario limits real-world applicability.

When this study was published

Published in 2022 with 2021 survey data.

The bigger picture

This study illustrates how tobacco and cannabis policies interact: restricting one substance may increase use of another, underscoring the need for comprehensive substance use strategies rather than siloed policies.

Questions still open

Would actual flavor bans produce the predicted substitution patterns? Are blunt smokers (who use cannabis with cigar wraps) driving the substitution signal? Should cannabis policy be considered when designing tobacco restrictions?

Common questions

Would banning flavored cigars increase cannabis use?

In this survey, 29.2% of flavored cigar smokers said they would switch to cannabis. However, these are stated intentions, not observed behaviors, so actual substitution rates may differ.

Who would be most affected by a flavored cigar ban?

Racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to say they would switch to cannabis, and blunt smokers (who use cigar wraps with cannabis) were less likely to quit cigars altogether.

Read the original research

Correlates of behavior change intents in response to a hypothetical flavored cigar sales restriction among U.S. adult flavored cigar smokers.

Preventive medicine, 165(Pt B), 107128

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Chen-Sankey, Julia; Elhabashy, Maryam; Ajith, Aniruddh; Jewett, Bambi; Hacker, Kiana; Phan, Lilianna; Choi, Kelvin. (2022). Correlates of behavior change intents in response to a hypothetical flavored cigar sales restriction among U.S. adult flavored cigar smokers.. Preventive medicine, 165(Pt B), 107128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107128