Perceptions of harm to health from cigarettes, blunts, and marijuana among young adult African American men.

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.