South Middlesex Times

Rutgers Health researchers are recruiting participants for a study examining cigarillo perceptions and use in young adults. These products come in brands like Swisher Sweets, Black & Mild, White Owl, and Dutch Masters.

The tobacco industry often targets African American and Hispanic communities with flavored tobacco products, according to the study researchers. Data from previous studies show that cigarillo use rates are higher among Black (6.5 percent) and Hispanic (4 percent) youth compared with white youth (2.8 percent).

The Unvarnished Project is comprised of two studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health. One of these studies—The C’RILLOS Project—seeks to level the playing field by increasing the representation of African American and Hispanic young adults and including their perspective in data that will shape tobacco control interventions and policy.

“Compared with whites, African American and Hispanic smokers often bear the greatest burden of tobacco-related illnesses,” said principal investigator Kymberle Landrum Sterling, an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and associate director for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies. “However, the lived experiences are not accounted for in scientific studies that can inform tobacco control interventions or policies.”

“There are many projects that study vaping. However, there aren’t many studies to focus on cigarillo use—cheap products that can cost as little as $0.99 and are available in many historically marginalized communities. We want to understand the role of cigarillo products, like Dutch Masters and Swisher Sweets brands, in the lives of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino young adults.”

In summer 2024, the Unvarnished Project team will enroll 1,000 African American and Hispanic young adults ages 18 to 34 in a research study to understand cigarillo use and exposure to tobacco marketing.

Eligible participants will be asked to complete an online survey every six months and receive a gift card for survey completion. The study’s findings will provide actionable data to support the implementation of tobacco policies to improve public health and guide development of future regulatory actions that will benefit health equity.

“This is a unique opportunity for African American and Hispanic young adults to make their voices heard and contribute to a body of knowledge that will be used to improve their health for years to come,” Sterling said.

For more information or to participate in the study, visit unvarnishedproject.org.

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