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Donna Shelley, MD, MPH, M. Jennifer Cantrell, MPA, Joyce Moon-Howard, DrPH, Destiny Q. Ramjohn, BA and Nancy VanDevanter, DrPH

Donna Shelley, M. Jennifer Cantrell, Joyce Moon-Howard, Destiny Q. Ramjohn, and Nancy VanDevanter are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Donna Shelley, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th St, 9th floor, New York, NY 10 032 (e-mail: drs26{at}columbia.edu)

Objectives. We examined the mechanisms by which living in a disadvantaged minority community influences smoking and illegal cigarette sale and purchasing behaviors after a large cigarette tax increase.

Methods. Data were collected from 14 focus groups (n=104) that were conducted during the spring of 2003 among Blacks aged 18 years and older living in New York City.

Results. A large tax increase led to what focus group participants described as a pervasive illegal cigarette market in a low-income minority community. Perceived pro-smoking community norms, a stressful social and economic environment, and the availability of illegal cigarettes worked together to reinforce smoking and undermine cessation.

Conclusions. Although interest in quitting was high, bootleggers created an environment in which reduced-price cigarettes were easier to access than cessation services. This activity continues to undermine the public health goals of the tax increase.

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