Cigars have long been associated with wealth and luxury, and as such, many famous female figures have been known to smoke them. However, the attitude towards women smoking cigars has changed drastically over the years. In the past, it was seen as a taboo for women to smoke cigars, but now it is becoming more accepted. This shift in attitude has been driven by a number of factors, including the perception that cigars are less harmful than cigarettes and the increasing availability of flavored cigars.
In an exploratory experiment on smoking, researchers found that among those who perceived an increased risk due to smoking, none stated that they would stop smoking cigars or reduce their consumption in general. This suggests that cigars are still seen as a symbol of prestige and luxury, and many women are taking up this hobby without fear of repercussions. To further understand how young adult cigarette smokers form their perceptions of risk, researchers conducted five online focus groups with 6-8 adult smokers each. Two groups were diverse groups of low-income smokers, two were diverse groups of LGBT smokers, and one was a diverse group from the general population.
The results showed that young adult smokers had positive attitudes, regulatory beliefs and self-efficacy towards small cigars and flavored cigars. In addition to this research, researchers are also investigating smokers' perceptions of changes in cigarette packaging. They are collecting topography of puffs and inhalation measurements while subjects smoke both cigars and cigarettes. This will help distinguish smoking patterns between the two products. Researchers are also conducting semi-structured interviews with 40 tobacco smokers between 18 and 30 years of age to understand why they consume them and evaluate their perceptions about the characteristics of the product.
Samples of 300 smokers and 300 non-smokers at risk of the youngest recruitment wave (currently 17 to 1 years old) and 450 smokers from previous waves (currently 26 to 3 years) will be re-interviewed and prospectively followed up to evaluate the relationships between the smoking trajectory in the first years of life and perception, attitudes, beliefs, persistence of consumption and difficulty in quitting smoking. The study advocates promoting healthy and context-appropriate survival strategies and quitting cigars, as well as local tobacco regulations aimed at raising minimum prices and reducing widespread tobacco sales in black communities. Overall, attitudes towards women smoking cigars have changed drastically over time. It is no longer seen as a taboo for women to smoke cigars, but rather a symbol of prestige and luxury. Famous female cigar smokers include Beyoncé, the Kardashians, Ciara, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez.
