The findings from the study, “CLEARING THE AIR: TV AND FILM TOBACCO RED LIST 2023,” show that UK audiences are exposed to an average of 77 weekly scenes of on-screen smoking, posing health concerns, particularly when reaching an audience still in their formative years. When viewing titles released in 2023, this exposure rises to 207 scenes on average each week for streaming platform viewers.
The TV and Film Tobacco Red List report, compiled by Vape Club, analyzed instances of smoking in 6,661 hours of popular TV and film since 2000, and included 3,590 titles. The report took into account various metrics, such as age ratings, directors, and production studios.
Some positive trends emerged from the findings, including a decrease in the average viewer’s exposure to tobacco depictions per hour, from 16 in 2016 to four in 2023. Nevertheless, with a national daily average TV viewing time of 2 hours and 38 minutes, this equates to 11 tobacco depictions daily or 77 per week. In 2022, the number of tobacco depictions per hour reached a record high of 14 on TV, nearly doubling the previous record.
Moreover, the study highlighted a significant increase in tobacco depictions for titles released between 2020 and 2021, at 163%. Netflix‘s titles from the 2010s featured smoking scenes in 43% of cases, marking a 19% increase from the 2000s and reaching a peak in 2016. Directors Ridley Scott, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese ranked highest for tobacco depictions in their films.
The data was sourced from the Smoke Free Media database, compiled by the University of San Francisco and analyzed tobacco usage in 3,654 films and TV shows. The study spanned titles released from January 2000, to September 2023.
How is vaping on social media affecting consumption?
Another recent study, “Exposure to e-cigarette advertising and young people’s use of e-cigarettes: A four-country study,” examined the exposure of young individuals to vape advertising through various media platforms in four distinct countries and explored potential connections between these advert exposures and consumption.
An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to around 1000 individuals aged 15–30 in Australia, China, India, and the United Kingdom. The survey gathered data on demographic details, e-cigarette and tobacco consumption, the extent of family and friends who vape, and exposure to vape advertisements across multiple platforms such as television, radio, print, and various social media outlets.
The results revealed that 85% of individuals familiar with vapes were exposed to vape ads through at least one media type, with an average exposure across five media types. The variety of media exposures was notably linked to the use of e-cigarettes. Despite advertising regulations in these countries, most young people reported significant exposure, particularly through social media and adverts in or around vape shops and other retail outlets.
Another recent paper examined the role of mental health in the relationship between social media use and vaping. Titled, “Social media and e-cigarette use: The mediating role of mental health conditions,” the study sifted through data from 23,445 youngsters included in the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
The researchers found that mental health condition markers (self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms) acted as mediators in the relationship between social media use and vaping in a dose-dependent manner. Namely, higher levels of social media use were associated with an increased likelihood of vaping. While mental health condition indicators were more commonly found in individuals who used social media frequently than in those who did not.
Quebec Law Restricting Vape Adverts Upheld by Court of Appeals
