Social media use linked to increased risk of vape use in teens: study

Time spent on social media was associated with an increased risk of cigarette and e-cigarette use in teenagers, according to new research.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Glasgow, found that teens who were on social media for more than two hours a day, were more than two and half times more likely to smoke cigarettes and more than three times more likely to use e-cigarettes, when compared to those who used social media for 1 to less than 30 minutes a day.

Published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, the researchers studied the online habits of around 9,000 teenagers across the UK to better understand how time spent on social media at age 14 years might influence their nicotine use a few years later at age 17 years.

The study found that overall, time spent on social media at age 14 was associated with an increased risk of using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes at age 17, as well as an increased risk of dual use of both nicotine products. Further, findings suggested that the potential negative effects of social media use on teenagers cigarette use were greater among more advantaged teens compared to those more disadvantaged.

Overall, of 8,987 teenagers surveyed, 28.9 per cent of participants reported they were cigarette users, while 23.7 per cent reported that they were e-cigarette users. In addition, 8.2 per cent of the teens in the survey reported that they were dual users of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

“Our findings advocate for the regulation of risky content on social media and tailored guidance for teens on social media use so they can navigate the complex social media environment,” Amrit Kaur Purba, lead author of the study, said.

“Educators, health professionals, and care givers must enhance their social media literacy to prepare teens for the realities of the social media landscape. We need to model healthy online habits, instead of resorting to blanket bans and over-protection, to help young people navigate the digital world.”

Dr Anna Pearce, Wellcome Trust senior research fellow at the University of Glasgow’s MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, added: “Our analysis of a large and nationally representative survey and time use diaries indicates that teenagers who spend more than 2 hours a day on social media are around three times as likely to smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes, after accounting for wide range of other important characteristics such as mental health, socio-economic position and past smoking behaviours.”

The study was funded by Medical Research Council Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office and the Wellcome Trust.