SC Connecticut News

Social media has become a significant platform for promoting vaping products, targeting teenagers with eye-catching advertisements and engaging content. Despite efforts to curb youth vaping, 1.6 million middle and high school students in the United States continue to use e-cigarettes. Social media exposure is partly responsible, as studies indicate that adolescents who encounter tobacco-related content online are more likely to start vaping.

Grace Kong, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, emphasizes the need for innovative strategies to combat these promotional tactics: “Kids today are spending a lot of time on social media, and they’re getting exposed to a significant amount of inappropriate content, including tobacco promotion.”

E-cigarettes were initially marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes due to fewer harmful chemicals. However, Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, PhD, also from Yale School of Medicine, warns that e-cigarettes are not without risks: “When you do an apples-to-apples comparison, e-cigarettes may be less harmful than cigarettes,” she says. “But that doesn’t mean that they are without harm themselves.”

The misconception that e-cigarettes produce harmless water vapor persists. In reality, users inhale aerosol containing potentially harmful particles. Even nicotine-free vapes have concerning substances like glycerin and propylene glycol. The FDA has classified these as safe for consumption but lacks research on their inhalation safety.

Krishnan-Sarin advises against using e-cigarettes unless they are part of a plan to quit smoking entirely: “We should not be advocating for people to use this type of device unless they’re using it to quit smoking,” she states.

Despite regulations banning cigarette ads on television and radio since 1970, e-cigarette marketing thrives online due to lack of similar restrictions. A 2019 study found three-quarters of teens were exposed to such marketing.

Kong’s team at Yale analyzes social media trends in e-cigarette marketing: “Social media does not have the same regulations as most traditional media,” Kong notes.

Influencers play a role in subtly promoting vaping through content where vaping is not the main focus but integrated into activities appealing to youth. Dhiraj Murthy, PhD from the University of Texas at Austin highlights this subtle influence: “It’s literally in the air.”

Research by Kong's team reveals alarming trends like "stealth vaping," where devices mimic everyday items and emit minimal vapor or odor. Videos teach users how to modify devices dangerously—a practice Kong warns increases risks.

Efforts continue to develop interventions for young people wanting to quit vaping. Krishnan-Sarin notes the challenge: “Vaping has been around for about 10 years now...and we have almost no established methods for helping them.” Online resources like the CDC's Quit Line offer support.

New initiatives include virtual reality programs addressing both nicotine and cannabis vaping developed by Deepa Camenga, MD at Yale School of Medicine alongside Kimberly Hieftje, PhD.

Krishnan-Sarin and Kong are testing an app providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for quitting vaping by teaching skills like managing withdrawal symptoms and resisting peer pressure.

Educating teenagers about the dangers of vaping is crucial given that most adult smokers started before age 21. Krishnan-Sarin emphasizes understanding long-term health impacts: “We need to develop a better understanding of the long-term health impact of these products.”