Blacks and blunts: University of Cincinnati researcher launches online study of 'blunt' use among African Americans

Snoop and Biggie deserve some of the credit - or blame - here.

The inexpensive cigars hollowed out and filled with marijuana that the rap stars helped make popular in classic rap songs and music videos are now the subject of a serious research study.

The University of Cincinnati this week announced it has received a federal grant for more than $700,000 to study the "blunt" smoking habits of African-American young adults. The university will also test Twitter-based intervention strategies.

“Given that social media is already fully integrated into the lives of many young adults, my research will focus on the development and evaluation of a private online Twitter group to support African-American young adults who are interested in reducing heavy blunt use,” said LaTrice Montgomery, a UC assistant professor and lead researcher on the project. "It is important to develop innovative and cost-effective interventions for young adults who might be reluctant to enter or remain engaged in traditional substance abuse treatments.”

Studies have shown higher rates of blunt use among young African-American men and women, according to Montgomery, but there is little data available on the dual use of tobacco and marijuana.

The paper used for wrapping cigars is made from tobacco, so blunt smokers inhale the nicotine from the tobacco as well as the THC from the marijuana in a blunt.

Montgomery, an assistant professor in the Addiction Sciences Division of UC's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, said her research will begin with individual interviews "to gain a stronger understanding of cultural norms and patterns of blunt use.''

Then she will develop a small-scale randomized clinical trial using a private Twitter account to gauge the effectiveness of intervention through social media. Sign up for the study here. Follow @BluntTruth101 on Twitter for more information.

"A Twitter-based intervention may provide an accessible and effective way to reduce blunt smoking and thereby decrease morbidity and mortality rates associated with marijuana and tobacco co-use,'' Montgomery said.

The mixture of both tobacco and marijuana in blunts poses health risks that smoking weed alone does not.

While marijuana may cause cognitive and developmental issues, tobacco use has been tied to higher risks of cancer and heart disease and is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Montgomery said she will use a National Institute on Drug Abuse Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award for $726,000 over five years to focus on the development and evaluation of a digital health intervention for African-American young adult blunt smokers.

The study will also examine the aggressive marketing tactics of little cigar and cigarillo companies to African Americans, perceptions of blunt use in popular cultural and artistic channels and the role of social media, Montgomery said.

The study comes at a time when changes in marijuana policies legalizing weed for medical and, or, recreational use in more than 30 states, including Ohio, suggest that marijuana is gaining greater acceptance among all groups.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, with 22.2 million users, according to CDC estimates.