Social media use linked to sharply higher smoking and vaping rates in teens, study finds – NaturalNews.com
A study finds increased social media use is directly linked to significantly higher rates of smoking and vaping among teenagers.Summary
A recent study published in Tobacco Induced Diseases analyzing nearly 9,400 UK adolescents reveals a direct correlation between social media usage and increased rates of smoking and vaping. For every additional hour spent on social media, the risk of smoking or vaping increases, with heavy users (seven or more hours daily) facing over five times the odds of smoking and four times the odds of vaping. Girls are disproportionately affected, with heavy users showing nearly seven times the odds of vaping. Researchers attribute this to tobacco companies bypassing advertising bans through global accounts, influencer partnerships, and stylized content that portrays vaping as glamorous. Experts warn that this digital marketing strategy, reminiscent of past tactics used by cigarette companies, is highly effective in targeting young people and normalizing nicotine use, despite the unknown long-term health effects. The study calls for urgent international regulation of social media tobacco marketing and platform accountability to protect youth from addiction.
(Source：Natural News)
