Xantha Leatham Science Associate Editor
May 16, 2024 23:31, Updated May 16, 2024 23:31
- Young people addicted to social media are more likely to e-cigarette or smoke
- ‘Compelling evidence’ e-cigarette companies use online influencers to market to children
Children who spend a lot of time on Instagram and TikTok are more likely to vape or smoke cigarettes, according to a new study.
Experts have found that the more time young people spend on social media, the more likely they are to develop the habit.
This is especially true at high levels of use: people who use social media for more than 7 hours a day are almost four times more likely to vape and eight times more likely to smoke compared to non-users. expensive.
The study, published in the journal Thorax, included data from 10,808 people aged 10 to 25 in the UK.
The analysis found that 0.8% of people who do not use social media use e-cigarettes, rising to 2.4% among those who use it for 1 to 3 hours a day.
This rose to 3.8% for those who used social media for 4 to 6 hours a day, and 4% for those who used social media for more than 7 hours a day.
Meanwhile, regarding smoking, 2% of those who said they did not use social media reported currently smoking, compared to 9.2% of those who used social media for 1 to 3 hours a day. was.
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This rose to 12.2% of smokers who used social media for 4-6 hours a day, and 15.7% of smokers who used social media for more than 7 hours on weekdays.
Researchers from the Imperial College London School of Public Health said there was “strong evidence that e-cigarette companies are using social media to market their products”.
They added: “Social media may promote smoking and e-cigarette use both through targeted direct advertising and through the use of paid influencers by the tobacco industry.” he added.
Researchers say companies that own social media platforms have “substantial power” to modify exposure to content that promotes smoking and vaping, if they choose or if forced to do so. said.
This comes after research earlier this week showed that children’s exposure to e-cig marketing is at an all-time high, with young people overwhelmingly choosing fruit and dessert-flavored e-cigs. It became.
Children in the UK are becoming increasingly aware of e-cigarette marketing in stores and through social media sites such as TikTok and YouTube, according to the annual findings of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).
A 2024 poll of 2,587 children ages 11 to 17 found that 7.6% currently smoke e-cigarettes, the same percentage as last year, compared to 2.8% in 2017 and 2013. This was an increase from 0.8% in 2017.
Hazel Cheeseman, Ash’s deputy chief executive officer, said of the study: “Eliminating children’s exposure to tobacco advertising was important in reducing smoking rates among teenagers.” Ta.
“This new study adds to the evidence that online promotions increase the likelihood that children will try e-cigarettes.
“Young people should be as well protected in the online space as they are in the physical space, and the government needs to consider what it can do to ensure this.”