A Successful Intervention to Reduce Cigarillo Use Among Baltimore Youth

A recent survey demonstrated that in 30 days, almost a quarter (23.9%) of African Americans aged 18-24 years in Baltimore smoked a Black & Mild, a popular cigarillo brand at least once. The theory of reasoned action (TRA) is the best-fitting theoretical model to use for intervention because it has been shown to be a good predictor of smoking behavior among adolescents. We have devised a campaign that involves both active advertising and the creation of an informational website, which can be used to learn about the consequences of cigarillo smoking. Smokers have decreased the number of cigarillos smoked per day by 1, and in particular, there was a dramatic decrease in smokers in Baltimore after the campaign. Particularly, positive impression in both groups tended to have differences in statistics before and after the campaign. In conclusion, our results show that the campaign was successful. We intend to expand it to other cities throughout the United States where cigarillo use is prevalent.

Key Words:  African American , Baltimore , cigarillos , inoculation theory , theory of reasoned action

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