Cigars—once seen as a niche luxury—are now aggressively marketed to youth, women, and communities of color through flavored products, low prices, and targeted advertising. The tobacco industry has designed and promoted cigars using flavors like cherry and vanilla to mask harsh tobacco, making them appealing to first-time users. From 2009 to 2020, cigar sales rose from $2.47 billion to $3.27 billion, largely due to flavored options. Alarmingly, over half of middle school cigar smokers and more than 70% of high school cigar smokers reported using flavored cigars. These products are sold cheaply, often in single sticks or small packs, making them easy to try and hard to quit—especially in low-income and Black neighborhoods where cigar prices are lower and advertising is more common. Tobacco companies further glamorize cigars through celebrity endorsements, social media, and lifestyle magazines that link smoking to luxury and success.
Key Facts:
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Cigar sales rose from $2.47B (2009) to $3.27B (2020), driven by flavored cigars.
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In 2023, 70.7% of high school and 53.1% of middle school cigar smokers used flavored cigars.
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Cigarillos and little cigars are sold cheaply, often in singles or small packs.
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Black and low-income communities are disproportionately exposed to cigar ads and lower prices.
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Marketing strategies include celebrity endorsements, hip-hop culture, and social media campaigns.
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Little cigars mimic cigarettes but are taxed differently, encouraging use over quitting.
As flavored, affordable, and widely marketed cigars continue to target youth and vulnerable communities, it’s more important than ever to understand the tactics behind the tobacco industry’s playbook. Awareness and policy changes can help protect the next generation from being misled by glamorized images and manipulative marketing. Let’s push for a future where health—not tobacco profits—takes center stage.
**Eliminating tobacco flavor serves as a vital measure to shield the youth from the dangers of smoking, curbing its appeal and dissuading the commencement of a hazardous habit.**
Reference:https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/other-tobacco-products/cigars-are-a-public-health-problem.html
