While several European countries, including Europe, have announced that they are doing everything they can to create the very first tobacco-free generation, these plans could be thwarted by the continued exposure of the youngest to digital platforms and media. Social networks, streaming platforms, online video games… Some of the content presented could influence the tobacco consumption of young adults, as revealed by a new study.
New generations are at the center of World No Tobacco Day 2024, the theme of which is none other than “protecting young people against interference from the tobacco industry”, as recently announced by the World Organization for Health (WHO). A march will be organized in many cities around the world, while several hashtags, including #TobaccoExposed, will allow young people to express themselves on the subject via social networks. A theme which was not chosen at random since a recent report published by the world health authority and the Stop organization estimated at 37 million the number of young people aged 13 to 15 consuming tobacco in the world.
However, as this World Day approaches, organized on May 31, the League against Cancer lifts the veil on the results of a survey which shows that younger generations surf on platforms which expose them more than they do. It would take smoking. Conducted by YouGov among more than 1,000 French people aged 18 to 34, the study reveals in particular that more than eight out of ten respondents (85%) admit to having already been exposed to content, whatever it may be, featuring tobacco use in the past six months. The different channels of digital platforms and media are concerned, starting with social networks (63%), streaming platforms (52%), and online video games (39%).
“Tobacco consumption is the leading cause of avoidable mortality, with 75,000 deaths, including 45,000 from cancer, each year in Europe. If smoking among young people is tending to decline – we can only rejoice about this – we see from this survey that digital platforms constitute a source of promotion of the product, (making) young people want to smoke. Platforms and content producers collectively bear responsibility for this incitement when they should do everything to protect young people from it.“, indicates Dr Emmanuel Ricard, delegate to the prevention and promotion of screening service of the League against Cancer.
Younger people more exposed
Based on the respondents' responses, it appears that Generation Z is the most exposed to this type of content. 93% of 18-24 year olds have viewed it, all platforms combined, over the last six months, compared to 81% of 25-34 year olds. It doesn't stop there since more than a third of 18-24 year olds (37%) admit to finding “attractive” the actors, influencers, and other video game characters who smoke in this content. But the most surprising – and the most frightening – remains the fact that 56% of them say they want to smoke after seeing these publications and videos, compared to 40% of 25-34 year olds.
This is not the first time that social networks have been singled out for the impact they can have on tobacco consumption among younger generations. A study by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health, published last April in Addictive Behaviors, suggested that social media could promote smoking initiation. It showed in particular that young people who had never used tobacco and used social networks daily were significantly more likely (+67%) to start smoking after just… one year.
*This survey was carried out online in May 2024, in Europe, based on five closed questions, on the proprietary YouGov Europe panel, whose members agreed to participate in online surveys and received an invitation by mail electronic with a link to the survey. The definition of the sample of 1,002 respondents aged 18 to 34 was established in order to provide a representative sample of the French population.