Objectives We evaluated a Social Branding antitobacco intervention for “hipster” young adults that was implemented between 2008 and 2011 in San Diego, California. Methods We conducted repeated cross-sectional surveys of random samples of young adults going to bars at baseline and over a 3-year follow-up. We used multinomial logistic regression to evaluate changes in daily smoking, nondaily smoking, and binge drinking, controlling for demographic characteristics, alcohol use, advertising receptivity, trend sensitivity, and tobacco-related attitudes. Results During the intervention, current (past 30 day) smoking decreased from 57% (baseline) to 48% (at follow-up 3; P=.002), and daily smoking decreased from 22% to 15% (P<.001). There were significant interactions between hipster affiliation and alcohol use on smoking. Among hipster binge drinkers, the odds of daily smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30, 0.63) and nondaily smoking (OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.42, 0.77) decreased significantly at follow-up 3. Binge drinking also decreased significantly at follow-up 3 (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.78). Conclusions Social Branding campaigns are a promising strategy to decrease smoking in young adult bar patrons.

More than twice as many youth in the United States currently use 2 or more tobacco products than cigarettes alone. Continued monitoring of tobacco use patterns is warranted, especially for e-cigarettes. Youth rates of multiple product use involving combustible products underscore needs for research assessing potential harms associated with these patterns.

Objective Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Sexual minorities (lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals), smoke at higher rates than the general population. However, little else is known about sexual minority smokers. Furthermore, the sexual minority population is diverse and little research exists to determine whether subgroups, such as lesbians, gay men, and female and male bisexuals, differ on smoker characteristics. We examine differences in smoking characteristics (advertising receptivity, age of first cigarette, non-daily smoking, cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence, desire to quit and past quit attempts) among lesbians, gay men, and female and male bisexual adults in the United States. Methods Secondary analysis of the CDC's 2009–2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey (N = 118,590). Results Controlling for age, race, socioeconomic status and geographic region, identifying as a female bisexual was associated with fewer past quit attempts, lower age at first cigarette, and higher nicotine dependence when compared to heterosexual women. There were no differences in desire to quit between male or female sexual minorities and their heterosexual counterparts. Conclusion Sexual minority individuals smoke at higher rates than heterosexuals and yet similarly desire to quit. Tailored efforts may be needed to address smoking among bisexual women.

Limited research exists describing youth who use e-cigarettes on a regular basis, including knowledge of nicotine levels, health effects, and plans for future use. This qualitative study explored the patterns of use, social and familial norms, and perceptions of health effects among this group.Youth (N = 43), 14–17 years old, who described themselves as regular e-cigarette users, participated in 4 focus group discussions in Miami, Florida, and Raleigh, North Carolina in February 2016.Youth often initiated or continued e-cigarette use with a device obtained from a friend or family member, and often do not own their own device. They cite the flavors and doing tricks as the two main reasons they initially used e-cigarettes. Many reported that their family members are aware they use e-cigarettes, and that they have received implicit and explicit messages from family members that are positive toward ecigarette use. They are aware of the negative effects of nicotine, including addiction, but not confident that they are using e-liquids without nicotine. Participants reported they will stop using e-cigarettes when they become aware of reported negative health effects.Parents and family members are an important target audience for prevention campaigns and health messaging, given that their own use and acceptance could be encouraging initiation and continuation. Youth are using products containing nicotine and may be becoming addicted, even if they would not choose to use nicotine-containing e-juice. Increased awareness of negative health effects may encourage prevention and cessation of e-cigarette use among youth.

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