Inner-City Black Youth Face Extra Barriers When Trying To Quit Smoking
Smoking rates among black inner-city young adults ages 18-24 are alarmingly high, and several factors work together to thwart cessation efforts among this population.
For example, according to a survey of 156 black young adults in Baltimore, Md,, both smokers and non-smokers perceive smoking as a normal behavior that’s common and “essentially unproblematic.” In the inner city, young adults said they faced few smoking restrictions and could easily buy “loosies,” or single cigarettes.
“This easy and affordable way to purchase cigarettes from street vendors and stores undermines tax policies, promotes smoking as a normative behavior and may contribute to high smoking rates in some inner-city communities,” the study’s authors said. Although the Food and Drug Administration attempted to eradicate “loosies” in 1996, “current laws differ from state to state and enforcement is lax.”
Other influences associated with increased prevalence of smoking and lack of interest in quitting among inner-city black young adults are targeted advertising and marketing and promotion campaigns, including special promotions at bars and clubs.
“Barriers to Smoking Cessation in Inner-City African American Young Adults.”
Frances A. Stillman, EdD, EdM, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore.
The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health.
