Cigars-for-Blunts: Choice of Tobacco Products by Blunt Smokers

• NCJ Number: 214388
• Journal: Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 3/4 Dated: 2005 Pages: 23-42
• Author(s): Stephen J. Sifaneck Ph.D.; Bruce D. Johnson Ph.D.; Eloise Dunlap Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2005
• Length: 20 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5R01DA013690-04; R01DA09056-10; T32DA07233-21
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on 3 years of ethnographic research with 92 focal subjects, this analysis focused on the practical, subcultural, and symbolic reasons that "blunt" smokers (use of marijuana in cigars) chose cigars as the tobacco product to be used for ingesting marijuana.

Abstract

Unexpectedly, no respondents indicated that using cigars for marijuana smoking ("cigars-for-blunts") increased the euphoric effect of marijuana compared with other means of ingesting it. Most of the reasons given for using cigars-for-blunts (CFB) were practical and conventional. Respondents indicated that blunts provided a way for groups of youth to share small amounts of commercial grade marijuana. Further, the cigar's flavor enhances the marijuana experience, and the smell of the cigar masks the smell of the marijuana while providing a slower burn and larger paper than a traditional marijuana "joint" (cigarette). CFB also avoids the need for marijuana paraphernalia such as rolling papers, pipes, and bongs. Subcultural and symbolic factors also influence CFB decisions. The subcultural influences of Hip Hop and Rastafarianism were often mentioned as influences in CFB. In flavoring their product, cigar manufacturers have been aware of and have attempted to appeal to adolescent and young adult blunt smokers. These findings were obtained through observations and interviews during a 3-year ethnographic study. Subjects recruited for the study were New Yorkers between the ages of 14 and 35 who represented the diverse experiences of marijuana/blunt users based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, and class/neighborhood. Ninety-two respondents were selected as focal subjects for indepth baseline interviews and followup interviews every 6 months for the 3-year period. The intent of the interviews was to measure the current and past use of marijuana/blunts, alcohol, and tobacco and to determine subcultural conduct norms and contexts of marijuana/blunt use. 12 references