Risk perception and cigar smoking behavior

Objective: To examine the cigar smoking perceptions and behaviors of US adu lts. Methods: A national sample of 1,012 adults was interviewed by telephone. Results: Current cigar smokers differed from nonsmokers in perceptions of p ersonal risk for cancer and views about cigar smoking as a cancer cause. Bo th groups showed substantial acceptance of the glamorized image of cigar sm okers. Conclusion: Although recognizing smoking as a cancer cause in general, ciga r smokers tended to show a self-exempting "optimistic bias" with regard to perceptions of their own risks.