One hour of social media a day doubles a child’s chance of smoking or vaping

In a groundbreaking study published in the BMJ, findings reveal a significant correlation between social media usage and an increased likelihood of smoking or vaping among children and young adults.

Researchers from Imperial College London and analysed the habits of over 10,800 UK individuals aged 10 to 25, discovering alarming trends that should concern parents and policymakers alike.

The statistics

Youths who engaged with social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for less than an hour daily were found to be 95% more likely to smoke than those who abstained from social media entirely.

Those who spent between one to three hours on these platforms daily had a 92% higher chance of taking up vaping compared to non-users.

The likelihood of smoking or vaping surged with increased social media interaction, with those logging in for seven hours or more on weekdays tripling their chances of vaping and increasing their likelihood of smoking by three-and-a-half times compared to non-users.

Why is this the case?

Dr. Nick Hopkinson highlights several factors that contribute to this disturbing trend:

1. 1.  Advertising and Influencers: Social media often exposes young people to targeted advertisements and paid influencers who depict smoking and vaping as trendy and desirable.
   2. Addictive Nature of Social Media: Like other forms of addiction, intense social media engagement can foster susceptibility to addictive behaviours, including nicotine intake.
   3. Pursuit of Rebellion: The unsupervised nature of social media use by young people may propel them toward activities perceived as rebellious, like smoking or vaping.

Gender and socioeconomic factors

The study also showed that male users, individuals under 18, and those from higher income backgrounds are more likely to use e-cigarettes.

Implications and actions

The findings throw light on the influential role of social media in shaping youth behavior, suggesting that platform owners have the potential to reduce exposure to harmful content that promotes tobacco and vape products.

Regulation of such content, alongside proactive measures by social media companies, is crucial for safeguarding young audiences. In addition to that, encouraging parents to regulate their young children’s access to social media is essential.

Vaping is presented in an alluring light to young people by manufacturers who use sophisticated social media strategies.

Comment from Allen Carr’s Easyway

At Allen Carr’s Easyway, we have been warning for many years about the marketing techniques used by Big Tobacco & Big Vape.

Many have been taken directly from the smoking advertising & marketing playbook of the 1960s and 1970s. That, along with the calculated use of social media influencers and a variety of social media platforms has been a highly effective strategy for those selling addiction in the guise of a lifestyle “choice”.

We need to protect our young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and we encourage parents and regulators alike to consider and actively participate in discussions and actions that mitigate these risks.

If you or someone you know could benefit with help to quit smoking, a good place to start is to read our how to quit vaping guide, and also our 10 tips to quit smoking guide.

Refrences

1. Social media use and health risk behaviours in young people: systematic review and meta-analysis Purba, Thomson, Henery, Pearce, Henderson, Katikireddi BMJ 2023;383:e073552 https://www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj-2022-073552