Table 2.
Factors influencing initiation, maintenance, and cessation of blunt versus cigarette use
| Blunts, n (%) | Cigarettes, n (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Initiating factors | ||
| Boredom | 28 (62.2) | 84 (52.8) |
| Friends also smoking | 26 (57.8) | 86 (54.1) |
| Stress relief | 19 (42.2) | 61 (38.4) |
| Family also smoking | 9 (20.0) | 53 (33.3) |
| Need to show independence | 4 (8.9) | 12 (7.5) |
| Media influence | 3 (6.7) | 20 (12.6) |
| Maintenance factors | ||
| Use accepted by friends | 29 (64.4) | 96 (60.4) |
| Easy accessibility | 27 (60.0) | 112 (70.4) |
| Media | 12 (26.7) | 71 (44.7) |
| Celebrities using blunts | 9 (20.0) | 46 (28.9) |
| Use accepted by family | 8 (17.8) | 58 (36.5) |
| Factors promoting cessation | ||
| Health effects | 43 (95.6) | 167 (96.9) |
| Legal concerns | 25 (55.6) | --- |
| Cost | 18 (40.0) | 69 (43.4) |
| Influence of family | 17 (37.8) | 73 (45.9) |
| Image | 10 (22.2) | 57 (35.8) |
| Influence of significant other | 8 (17.8) | 49 (30.8) |
| Influence of friends | 8 (17.8) | 47 (29.6) |
| Obstacles to cessation | ||
| Stress relief | 25 (55.6) | 69 (43.4) |
| Physical craving | 13 (28.9) | 74 (46.5) |
| Family / friend reactions | 5 (11.1) | 13 (8.2) |
| Self-image | 3 (6.7) | 9 (5.7) |
| Loss of sense of independence | 0 | 2 (1.3) |