OBJECTIVES: To assess perceptions and knowledge of health effects of smoking tobacco, blunts, and marijuana among adult African American (AA) men aged 19-30 in five Black Belt counties of rural Alabama. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using interviewer-administered oral surveys. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifteen participants completed surveys. Cigarettes were the most common initial and current product used (40%) and there were more current than initial users of marijuana and blunts. Significantly more cigarette users (80%) felt that smoking cigarettes was harmful to health compared with marijuana (33%) and blunt (53%) users (p < .001). Many marijuana smokers (71%) and blunt smokers (48%) believed smoking their product was safer than cigarettes for reasons including more natural and less addictive. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with cigarettes, knowledge of the health-related effects of smoking marijuana-containing products among young African American men is poor. Intervention strategies focusing on the adverse health effects of smoking marijuana are needed.
OBJECTIVES: To assess perceptions and knowledge of health effects of smoking tobacco, blunts, and marijuana among adult African American (AA) men aged 19-30 in five Black Belt counties of rural Alabama. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using interviewer-administered oral surveys. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifteen participants completed surveys. Cigarettes were the most common initial and current product used (40%) and there were more current than initial users of marijuana and blunts. Significantly more cigarette users (80%) felt that smoking cigarettes was harmful to health compared with marijuana (33%) and blunt (53%) users (p < .001). Many marijuana smokers (71%) and blunt smokers (48%) believed smoking their product was safer than cigarettes for reasons including more natural and less addictive. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with cigarettes, knowledge of the health-related effects of smoking marijuana-containing products among young African American men is poor. Intervention strategies focusing on the adverse health effects of smoking marijuana are needed.
Authors: Pia M Mauro; Hannah Carliner; Qiana L Brown; Deborah S Hasin; Dvora Shmulewitz; Reanne Rahim-Juwel; Aaron L Sarvet; Melanie M Wall; Silvia S Martins Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2018-05 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Deepa R Camenga; Grace Kong; Dana A Cavallo; Amanda Liss; Andrew Hyland; Jennifer Delmerico; K Michael Cummings; Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2014-07-29 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Deborah S Hasin; Bradley T Kerridge; Tulshi D Saha; Boji Huang; Roger Pickering; Sharon M Smith; Jeesun Jung; Haitao Zhang; Bridget F Grant Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2016-03-04 Impact factor: 18.112