Background: Tobacco control policies nationwide have contributed to a substantial decline in cigarette and tobacco use, with particularly sharp reductions observed in states such as California that have implemented restrictive bans, strong prevention measures, and high excise taxes. While these policies have led to overall decreases in tobacco use, progress has not necessarily been distributed equally across racial groups. Understanding long-term trends by race is critical for addressing equity gaps in tobacco prevention and control. Evidence suggests that some racialized groups may experience slower or delayed declines, raising concerns about equity in public health gains. Methods: We analyzed data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) spanning 2003–2023. Trends in current smoking were examined separately for non-Latino Black and non-Latino White adults. We also assessed current use of flavored tobacco products, given California’s statewide ban enacted in 2021. Changes were evaluated in both absolute terms (percentage point declines) and relative terms (percent reduction from baseline). Results: Smoking prevalence declined from 17.2% in 2003 to 5.2% in 2023 among White adults and from 19.9% to 9.0% among Black adults. This represents a 12.0 percentage point (69.8%) decline for Whites compared with a 10.9 percentage point (54.8%) decline for Blacks. For flavored tobacco use, prevalence decreased from 8.0% to 4.7% among White adults but only from 11.9% to 10.8% among Black adults. This corresponds to a 3.3 percentage point (41.3%) decline for Whites compared with a 1.1 percentage point (9.2%) decline for Blacks. Conclusions: Although both Black and White adults in California experienced reductions in smoking over the past two decades, White adults showed larger declines in both absolute and relative terms. Disparities were even more pronounced for flavored tobacco use, where declines were minimal among Black adults despite the statewide ban. These findings suggest that Black populations in California may have been left behind by tobacco control progress, especially regarding flavored products. Given the history of targeted marketing by the tobacco industry, the role of flavors in increasing dependence, and reduced access to cessation resources in Black communities, targeted policies and culturally tailored interventions are needed to ensure equitable reductions in tobacco use. Greater attention to flavored tobacco in Black communities may help narrow these disparities and advance California’s tobacco endgame goals.

Background: Educational attainment is strongly linked to increased employment opportunities, higher income, and greater financial security, making its inverse relationship with reliance on social welfare programs well-documented. However, consistent with the Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, the protective effects of education may be weaker for racial and ethnic minority groups compared to non-Latino Whites. This study examines whether the impact of educational attainment (measured as years of schooling) on social welfare use differs between Caribbean Black and White adults in the United States, focusing on outcomes since age 18 and in the past year. Objective: To investigate the relationship between years of schooling and the likelihood of using social welfare programs, while exploring whether this association varies between Caribbean Black and White adults, in alignment with the MDRs framework. Methods: Data were derived from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), a nationally representative dataset with a robust sample of Black and White adults in the United States. The study focused on Caribbean Black and White participants aged 18 and older. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationship between years of schooling and social welfare use, adjusting for covariates including age, gender, employment status, and marital status. Interaction terms were used to assess potential differences in the returns of education across racial groups. Results: Higher educational attainment was associated with reduced likelihood of using social welfare programs overall. However, consistent with the MDRs framework, the protective effect of education was weaker for Caribbean Black individuals compared to their White counterparts. Caribbean Blacks with similar levels of education as Whites were more likely to report using social welfare programs since age 18 and in the past year, highlighting diminished returns on education for this population. Conclusion: This study extends the MDRs framework to Caribbean Black populations, a group rarely studied in the U.S., revealing significant disparities in the economic benefits of education. The findings underscore the need for policies that address systemic barriers limiting the economic returns of education for racial and ethnic minorities, including Caribbean Blacks, to promote greater equity in social and economic outcomes.

Background: While the link between depression and smoking is known, less is known about the relationship between hopelessness and smoking in large national community-based sample of Black people. Aims: This study investigates the association between hopelessness and smoking status, using data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), which is the only ethnically diverse nationally representative sample of Black adults. Methods: Data from the NSAL were analyzed. Hopelessness and smoking status were assessed using structured interviews. Logistic regression was employed to assess the link between hopelessness and smoking status, controlling for potential confounders such as demographic factors and socioeconomic indicators as well as depression. Results: 4,939 participants entered our analysis. Hopelessness was significantly associated with higher odds of smoking status. This association remained robust after adjusting for confounders such as demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and depression. Conclusions: Hopelessness may be a critical risk factor for smoking in Black adults. Promoting hope as a component of targeted tobacco cessation programs may help reduce tobacco use of Black populations.

Background: The Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory posits that social determinants of health, such as parental education, exert weaker protective effects on health and educational outcomes in racialized and minoritized populations compared to White populations. Aim: This study examines whether higher maternal education is associated with better high school GPA in Black youth and whether this association aligns with the MDRs framework. Methods: Data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study also known as Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) baseline and 22nd year follow-up (1990-2022). This study included 1873 Black or White participants who were followed from birth to age 22. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between maternal education and high school GPA, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Analyses focused on the differential effects of maternal education across racial groups, particularly among Black youth. Results: While maternal education was positively associated with high school GPA, this effect was weaker for Black students compared to their White counterparts. Specifically, each additional year of maternal education corresponded to a lower GPA increase in Black students, consistent with the MDRs hypothesis. Conclusion: Findings support the MDRs theory, indicating that maternal education has a reduced protective effect on high school GPA among Black youth. These results underscore the need for policies that address structural factors beyond education to promote equitable academic achievement.