National Shift: Cigarette Use Down, Blunt Use Up

Blunt use is up nationwide, even as cigarette smoking declines to modern lows—raising questions about dual exposure, risk perception, and Arizona’s market dynamics.

Between 2015 and 2022, the number of U.S. adults smoking cannabis rolled in cigar or cigarillo wrappers—commonly called blunts—climbed significantly, according to a new peer-reviewed analysis. Published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, the study found that "ever" blunt use rose approximately 21.7%, past-30-day use increased about 34.4%, and daily blunt smoking among current cannabis users jumped 24.5%. While these relative gains are notable across the board, they were especially pronounced among women, older adults, non-drinkers, and non-Hispanic White and Hispanic populations.

The study's findings emerge in a sharply contrasting public-health context: cigarette smoking among adults fell to a 60-year low, declining from 15.1% in 2015 to 11.6% in 2022. This inverse relationship suggests possible shifts in nicotine behaviors. However, researchers caution against assuming blunt smoking is directly replacing cigarette use. The blunt study is observational and does not prove causation, even if the overlapping timelines raise important questions about substitution, co-use, and how adults perceive risk across product categories.

What Makes Blunts Different

Blunts occupy a unique space in the cannabis-tobacco Venn diagram. Wrapped in cigar or cigarillo leaf, they introduce combusted tobacco—and with it, nicotine and associated toxins—into the cannabis experience. That dual exposure, researchers argue, poses “unique and elevated risks” beyond those associated with cannabis alone. Yet many consumers may not perceive the wrapper as part of the product, particularly in markets where pre-rolls (a category that includes both joints and blunts) are sold as convenient, ready-to-smoke options.

From a public-health standpoint, the rise in blunt smoking complicates messaging. Agencies like the CDC have invested years in reducing cigarette use through cessation campaigns and nicotine education. Blunt smoking reintroduces tobacco exposure, often in a cannabis-first context where traditional tobacco warnings might be overlooked or dismissed. For example, a daily cannabis user who avoids cigarettes may not realize that a daily blunt still involves nicotine consumption.

Arizona’s Market Context

For Arizona, this national trend intersects with several state-specific developments. The Grand Canyon State launched adult-use cannabis sales in early 2021, and by mid-2024, pre-rolls had generated over $200 million in sales in a trailing 12-month window. While not all pre-rolls are blunts, industry analysis shows that infused and specialty wraps—including tobacco-based ones—make up a growing share of the segment. At the same time, Arizona continues to enforce a comprehensive smoke-free law in most enclosed public spaces and, as of 2025, aligns with the federal minimum age of 21 for tobacco sales (commonly referred to as T21).

These overlapping dynamics—strong blunt-friendly product sales, smoke-free consumption limits, and a shifting regulatory perimeter—mean that Arizona consumers navigate a uniquely complex market. They also reflect broader contradictions in American cannabis and tobacco policy. Blunts sit at a policy crossroads: the wrapper is regulated as a tobacco product, while the contents fall under state-specific cannabis laws. This siloed regulatory structure creates enforcement gaps and messaging challenges. Should a dispensary that sells blunts also provide nicotine warnings? Should tobacco retailers limit access to cigar wraps that are primarily used for cannabis consumption?

Retail and Industry Implications

For retailers and product developers, these questions aren't theoretical. They affect what gets stocked, how it's labeled, and who can buy it. Arizona dispensaries, for example, have already begun to lean heavily into pre-roll innovations to maintain competitive margins in a slowing market. With overall cannabis sales softening through 2024 and 2025, premium and niche pre-rolls—including blunts—offer differentiation. Yet those same products carry public-health baggage that the cannabis industry has only begun to address.

Consumer perception is another major variable. Many blunt smokers may not self-identify as tobacco users. This perception gap mirrors earlier public-health challenges with e-cigarettes and flavored cigars. When a cannabis consumer sees a blunt wrap as merely packaging, rather than as a source of nicotine and other tobacco-related risks, they may dismiss warnings or underestimate cumulative exposure.

Demographic Shifts and Equity Concerns

The study in Addictive Behaviors sheds new light on these blind spots. Its demographic findings suggest that blunt smoking is not only becoming more common but also more normalized among populations not traditionally associated with cigar use. As blunt smoking rises among women and older adults—groups historically underrepresented in tobacco research—public-health messaging must evolve to remain relevant. Meanwhile, non-drinkers emerging as a fast-growing blunt demographic complicates outdated stereotypes linking cannabis use to broader substance behaviors.

Equity concerns loom large in this evolving picture. Blunt use has long been associated with communities of color, and policies targeting cigar sales often carry racially disparate impacts. Now, as the blunt demographic shifts, regulators must confront a broader set of questions about which communities bear the brunt of dual-exposure risks and how policy might reinforce or mitigate those risks.

Data Gaps and the Path Forward

Importantly, while the study draws on comprehensive NSDUH data and presents statistically significant trends, it does not resolve questions about causality. Are blunt smokers turning away from cigarettes, or are they consuming both? Is the tobacco component incidental or essential to the cannabis experience? Without deeper behavioral insights, policymakers are left to navigate by inference.

In Arizona, state-level data collection may offer some clarity. The Arizona Department of Revenue tracks cannabis tax collections monthly, and category-level insights into pre-roll sales can indicate where consumer dollars are flowing. Yet more granular data—such as retailer scanner information on specific wrap types or state surveys linking cannabis and tobacco use—remains limited. The state's public-health apparatus, including the Arizona Department of Health Services, is well positioned to fill that gap by adapting existing surveillance systems to capture nuanced patterns in cannabis modality.

Closing the Policy and Education Gaps

Looking ahead, both regulators and industry leaders have an opportunity to lead. Regulators can close silo gaps by aligning messaging and enforcement across tobacco and cannabis systems. Dispensaries and brands can step up with clearer labeling, informed budtender training, and consumer education around the real contents of a blunt. Media, including outlets like CIGAWEEDS, also have a role to play in parsing the data, challenging assumptions, and elevating voices that advocate for equity and clarity in cannabis consumption.

Bottom Line

Blunt smoking is rising, cigarette smoking is falling, and the overlap demands attention. Whether through dual use, substitution, or cultural preference, more adults are engaging with cannabis in a way that reintroduces tobacco. Public health messaging, retail practices, and regulatory frameworks must adapt accordingly—not just in Arizona, but nationwide.

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