TY - JOUR
T1 - Engagement with online tobacco marketing among adolescents in the United States
T2 - 2013–2014 to 2014–2015
AU - Soneji, Samir
AU - Yang, Jae Won
AU - Moran, Meghan Bridgid
AU - Tan, Andy S.L.
AU - Sargent, James
AU - Knutzen, Kristin E.
AU - Choi, Kelvin
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R21-CA197912 to SS and R01-CA077026 to JS). MBM’s effort is supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). ASLT’s effort is supported by the National Cancer Institute and FDA CTP (R03 CA212544). KC’s effort is supported by the Division of Intramural Research, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The content was solely the responsibility of the authors and did not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the FDA. The views and opinions expressed in this manuscript were those of the authors only and did not necessarily represent the views, official policy, or position of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the NIH, the US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US government.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/6/21
Y1 - 2019/6/21
N2 - Objective: To assess changes in engagement with online tobacco and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) marketing (online tobacco marketing) among adolescents in the United States between 2013 and 2015. Methods: We assessed the prevalence of six forms of engagement with online tobacco marketing, both overall and by brand, among adolescents sampled in Wave 1 (2013–2014; n = 13 651) and Wave 2 (2014–2015; n = 12 172) of the nationally representative Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study. Engagement was analyzed by tobacco use status: non-susceptible never tobacco users; susceptible never tobacco users; ever tobacco users, but not within the past year; and past-year tobacco users. Results: Among all adolescents, the estimated prevalence of engagement with at least one form of online tobacco marketing increased from 8.7% in 2013–2014 to 20.9% in 2014–2015. The estimated prevalence of engagement also increased over time across all tobacco use statuses (eg, from 10.5% to 26.6% among susceptible adolescents). Brand-specific engagement increased over time for cigarette, cigar, and e-cigarette brands. Conclusion: Engagement with online tobacco marketing, both for tobacco and e-cigarettes, increased almost twofold over time.This increase emphasizes the dynamic nature of online tobacco marketing and its ability to reach youth. The Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with social networking sites, should consider new approaches to regulate this novel form of marketing. Implications: This is the first study to estimate the national prevalence of engagement with online tobacco marketing among adolescents over time. The estimated prevalence of this engagement approximately doubled between 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 among all adolescents and, notably, among adolescents at relatively low risk to initiate tobacco use. This increase in engagement could represent public health harm if it results in increased initiation and use of tobacco products. Stronger federal regulation of online tobacco marketing and tighter control of access to tobacco-related content by social media sites could reduce adolescents’ exposure to and engagement with online tobacco marketing.
AB - Objective: To assess changes in engagement with online tobacco and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) marketing (online tobacco marketing) among adolescents in the United States between 2013 and 2015. Methods: We assessed the prevalence of six forms of engagement with online tobacco marketing, both overall and by brand, among adolescents sampled in Wave 1 (2013–2014; n = 13 651) and Wave 2 (2014–2015; n = 12 172) of the nationally representative Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study. Engagement was analyzed by tobacco use status: non-susceptible never tobacco users; susceptible never tobacco users; ever tobacco users, but not within the past year; and past-year tobacco users. Results: Among all adolescents, the estimated prevalence of engagement with at least one form of online tobacco marketing increased from 8.7% in 2013–2014 to 20.9% in 2014–2015. The estimated prevalence of engagement also increased over time across all tobacco use statuses (eg, from 10.5% to 26.6% among susceptible adolescents). Brand-specific engagement increased over time for cigarette, cigar, and e-cigarette brands. Conclusion: Engagement with online tobacco marketing, both for tobacco and e-cigarettes, increased almost twofold over time.This increase emphasizes the dynamic nature of online tobacco marketing and its ability to reach youth. The Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with social networking sites, should consider new approaches to regulate this novel form of marketing. Implications: This is the first study to estimate the national prevalence of engagement with online tobacco marketing among adolescents over time. The estimated prevalence of this engagement approximately doubled between 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 among all adolescents and, notably, among adolescents at relatively low risk to initiate tobacco use. This increase in engagement could represent public health harm if it results in increased initiation and use of tobacco products. Stronger federal regulation of online tobacco marketing and tighter control of access to tobacco-related content by social media sites could reduce adolescents’ exposure to and engagement with online tobacco marketing.
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U2 - 10.1093/ntr/nty086
DO - 10.1093/ntr/nty086
M3 - Article
C2 - 29741711
AN - SCOPUS:85063759665
SN - 1462-2203
VL - 21
SP - 918
EP - 925
JO - Nicotine and Tobacco Research
JF - Nicotine and Tobacco Research
IS - 7
ER -