Vaping and E-Cigarettes Glamourised on Social Media, Putting Young People in Harm's Way

Adolescents are increasingly being exposed to e-cigarettes and vaping products on social media, with many believing they are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. However, research has shown that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can have severe and long-lasting effects on the developing brain. Despite this, e-cigarettes are widely promoted on social media, with influencers and the industry using tactics similar to those outlawed in traditional media in the 1980s.

Vape juice is available in a variety of flavours, including gummy bear, chocolate treat, and cherry crush, and social media influencers demonstrate fun vaping tricks and ways to customise e-cigarette devices. Online vaping communities also offer social support and connectedness. Currently, there is no federal legislation directly applying to e-cigarettes in Australia, with several laws relating to poisons, therapeutic goods, and tobacco applying across states and territories.

Our research found that despite Australia's restrictions, the internet facilitates access to nicotine and vaping products, with an estimated three-quarters of e-cigarette purchases done online. Social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram display a mix of modern advertising techniques and old-school advertising tropes used by the tobacco industry, including images of scantily dressed women with e-cigarettes and tempting vape juice flavours.

Young people, who are the biggest users of social media, are being directly targeted, with e-cigarette use described as an "epidemic among youth". Since 2013, the lifetime use of e-cigarettes has significantly increased in Australia, with doubling in 14-17 year olds and almost tripling in those aged 18-24. Despite health authorities warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes, many adolescents have positive opinions about them, considering them a healthier and less addictive alternative to cigarettes.

Tobacco companies have a history of infiltrating youth-friendly media, and social media platforms have indeed been promoting e-cigarettes to young people. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have policies against tobacco advertising, but these policies are not always effective in practice. Twitter and TikTok have similar policies, but the boundaries between organic content and paid product placements on social media are blurred.

Health authorities and regulators seem to be unaware of the scale and explicitness of e-cigarette content on social media, and it is clear that more needs to be done to counter it. Australia, being a signatory to the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, needs to outlaw all advertising for tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Key Takeaways:

• E-cigarettes are widely promoted on social media, despite being known to have adverse health effects on adolescents.
• Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can have severe and long-lasting effects on the developing brain.
• Research found that despite Australia's restrictions, the internet facilitates access to nicotine and vaping products.
• An estimated three-quarters of e-cigarette purchases are done online.
• Social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram display a mix of modern advertising techniques and old-school advertising tropes used by the tobacco industry.
• Young people, who are the biggest users of social media, are being directly targeted.
• E-cigarette use is described as an "epidemic among youth".
• The lifetime use of e-cigarettes has significantly increased in Australia since 2013.
• Many adolescents have positive opinions about e-cigarettes, considering them a healthier and less addictive alternative to cigarettes.
• Tobacco companies have a history of infiltrating youth-friendly media.
• Social media platforms have policies against tobacco advertising, but these policies are not always effective.
• Health authorities and regulators seem to be unaware of the scale and explicitness of e-cigarette content on social media.

Statistics:

• An estimated 75% of e-cigarette purchases are done online.
• Since 2013, the lifetime use of e-cigarettes has increased by 100% in 14-17 year olds and 228% in 18-24 year olds.
• In Australia, almost all people aged 18-29 use social media for over 100 minutes a day on average.
• 85% of Australians between 18-29 years old use social media.

Sources:

• The Conversation (Au and NZ) -- By Jonine Jancey, Academic and Director Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Curtin University.
• Office of the Surgeon General.
• Federal Health Department.
• World Health Organization (WHO).
• Who Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.