Tobacco and Cannabis Intervention for Young Black MSM

Young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are at high risk for cannabis use, and prolonged cannabis use can lead to adverse health outcomes. Young cannabis users are also at higher risk for tobacco use and eventual nicotine dependence. Additionally, mixing of tobacco with cannabis may lead to worse physical health outcomes than using cannabis alone. Mixing of tobacco and cannabis is used to enhance sexual experiences and is associated with sexual behaviors that result in increased HIV risk for YBMSM. The lack of data on patterns of tobacco and cannabis experimentation and initiation, and how these behaviors relate to sexual risk behavior, warrants more research to improve health among YBMSM. The goal of this project is to develop and test a peer-led, tobacco/nicotine and cannabis intervention tailored to YBMSM in Long Beach, California. Young men who report nonuse or infrequent use of tobacco/nicotine and cannabis will be engaged and supported to avoid initiation and transitioning into frequent users. The project involves developing individual- and community-level intervention approaches, and pilot testing the intervention by using a comparison group taken from surrounding communities similar in demographics to the intervention community.