Loose cigarette purchasing among young adults in New York City

Objective: Non-daily smoking and purchasing illegal loose cigarettes (loosies) are common among young adults in New York.  This may be due to high cigarette prices (median price ~$11.50 pack), cessation attempts, or social norms among daily and non-daily young adult smokers.

Methods:  Cross-sectional surveys (N= 1916) were collected in NYC bars and nightclubs.  Multivariate logistic regressions examined associations between loose cigarette purchasing, loosie & pack prices, smoking norms and quitting behaviors among daily and non-daily smokers.

Results: 45% of non-daily smokers and 59% of daily smokers had ever purchased a loose cigarette. 26% of non-daily smokers and 11% of daily smokers reported their last cigarette smoked was a loose cigarette. Controlling for social norms, quitting behaviors and demographics, non-daily smokers (OR= 4.47, 95%CI [1.57, 12.75]) were more likely than daily smokers to have recently smoked a loose cigarette. Using quit aids was associated with recently smoking a loose cigarette (OR= 2.01 [1.19, 3.40]) and ever purchasing a loose cigarette (OR= 2.13 [1.46, 3.10]). Agreement that New Yorkers approve of smoking was also associated with recent loose cigarette purchase (OR= 1.34 [1.05, 1.70]) and ever loose cigarette purchase (OR= 2.13, 1.46, 3.10]).

Conclusions: Recently purchasing loose cigarettes is strongly associated with non-daily smoking.  Smokers may also use loose cigarettes as a smoking cessation strategy. Those with stronger pro-smoking social norms may also view purchasing loose cigarettes as more socially acceptable. All of these issues should be considered to decrease frequency of loose cigarette purchasing among young adults in New York.