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Study Finds a Link Between Tobacco Exposure on Social Media And Increased Consumption

A review of 29 previously published peer reviewed studies, found that exposure to tobacco and vaping products on social media leads to increased consumption.

Diane Caruana

February 23, 2023

UK syrvey finds a significant rise in the use of certain vapes which are popular on social media.

Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the study consisted of an analysis of surveys from over 139,000 participants across a number of studies, who belonged to different age groups, nationalities and social media platforms. The analysed responses indicated that people who viewed social media with tobacco content were more likely to report consuming the products.

“We [cast] a wide net across the tobacco and social media literature and synthesized everything into a single association summarizing the relationship between social media exposure and tobacco use,” said study author Scott Donaldson, a senior research associate at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. “What we found is that these associations are robust and have public health implications at the population level.”

The role of influencers

Similarly, a UK survey of under-18s has found a significant rise in the use of certain vapes which are popular on social media, leading to the suspicion that watching glamorous influencers promoting the products on TikTok and Instagram, is drawing many youth to try the products.

The Impression of vaping as a glamorous activity to engage in on platforms like TikTok, just like smoking in old movies, is drawing adolescents into habit, fear a number of health and tobacco harm reduction groups.Conducted by the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) the study found that the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 who vape has increased from 4 to 7% this year.

“Online platforms don’t need to wait, they must act now. The flood of glamourous promotion of vaping on social media, in particular TikTok, is completely inappropriate and they should turn off the tap,” said ASH chief executive Deborah Arnott.