Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of public health policy in recent years has been the significant decline in smoking among the population of the United Kingdom. However, this decline has begun to stall. In this context, it is important to examine how young people are introduced to smoking and e-cigarettes and what are the factors that influence them.
A timely study by Hopkinson and colleagues (2024) hopes to shed some light on this. Their aim was to investigate the link between time spent on social media and use of e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes among young people.
Methods
The authors used data from a large annual UK household survey focusing on participants aged between 10 and 25 years of age from 2015/16 through to 2020/21. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and online questionnaires. Young people were classified as smokers or e-cigarette users based on their usage frequency.
The participants were asked about their social media usage and the time spent on various platforms. Statistical analysis was primarily based on grouping participants based on their responses.
Results
The study confirmed the association between social media exposure and use of e-cigarettes and smoking among young people. The research also found strong links between parental smoking, age, gender, income, and e-cigarette usage.
Conclusions
The authors suggest that exposure to social media increases the probability of smoking among young people and recommend policies similar to those in Germany to regulate social media targeting practices.
Implications for Practice
This research highlights the role of social media in influencing smoking behaviors among young people and suggests practitioners consider associated risks, including other addictive behaviors.
Statement of Interest
No conflicts of interests to declare.
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