Risk Perception and Cigar Smoking Behavior

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the cigar smoking perceptions and behaviors of US adults. METHODS: A national sample of 1,012 adults was interviewed by telephone. RESULTS: Current cigar smokers differed from nonsmokers in perceptions of personal risk for cancer and views about cigar smoking as a cancer cause. Both groups showed substantial acceptance of the glamorized image of cigarsmokers. CONCLUSION: Although recognizing smoking as a cancer cause in general, cigar smokers tended to show a self-exempting "optimistic bias" with regard to perceptions of their own risks.