Extensive social media use and frequency of current e-cigarette use among US youth

Introduction: Both electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and social media use among youth are public health concerns. While the health impacts of extensive social media use and frequent use of e-cigarettes have been discussed independently in the literature, little is known about the relationship between the two. This study aims to examine the potential association between extensive social media use and the frequency of current, e-cigarette use among United States (US) youth.

Methods: Data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) were analyzed. The sample included 23,655 middle and high school students aged 9-18 years. Frequency of current e-cigarette use was categorized based on past-30 day use (i.e., never/former, 1-9 days, 10-29 days, or 30 days). Social media use was dichotomized into less than 4 hours daily and 4+ hours daily (i.e., extensive use). Multivariable multinomial logistic regression estimated the relationship between social media use and e-cigarette use frequency.

Results: Over one-third (35.8 %) of youth used social media extensively and 8.6 % reported current use of e-cigarettes. Extensive social media use was associated with daily e-cigarette use (OR: 1.94, 95 % CI: 1.48-2.56) but not with other use categories. Older age, female sex, lower grades, current other tobacco use, and family tobacco use were also associated with daily e-cigarette use.

Conclusions: Extensive social media use is associated with daily e-cigarette use among US youth. Public health interventions should consider the influence of social media on tobacco use behaviors and tailor prevention strategies to address this potential modifiable risk factor.