1738P - Impact of digital platforms on exposure to tobacco and new smoking devices: A survey approach

Background

Tobacco remains the leading preventable risk factor for cancer in the world. Although the prevalence of tobacco use has a decreasing trend in most European countries, the availability of new smoking devices is causing an increase in smokers, especially among the younger population. Several studies have confirmed the relationship between this increase and indirect or covert advertising, carried out on social media and VOD platforms, through product placement, etc. This study aims to measure the impact of tobacco and new smoking devices in these digital spaces on the young Spanish population; and how this impact is related to increased consumption.

Methods

A survey has been conducted on the young Spanish population (aged between 16 to 21 years old) using a representative online panel of this population. The final sample obtained was 1730 interviews, and the data collection was conducted in December 2022. A questionnaire with an average duration of 10 minutes was administered, in which questions related to tobacco and new smoking devices use, and the recall of having seen content related to traditional tobacco and new smoking devices were collected. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses have been performed, taking the habitual consumption (last month) of tobacco and new smoking device as dependent variables.

Results

82.5% of young people remember having had some impact related to traditional tobacco, and 83% with new smoking forms. Among young people who have had this impact, there are twice as many smokers (53.1%) as among those who have not (24.5%). Having seen someone smoking cigarettes on these platforms (AOR 1.56), cigarette product placement (AOR 1.71), or recalling e-cigarette brands (AOR 1.58) are the variables that most increase the risk of regularly consuming traditional cigarettes. The same happens in the risk of habitual consumption of new devices, with the recall of having seen specific brands or logos taking special relevance (AOR 2.47).

Conclusions

There is a correlation between the recall of these types of consumption and the regular consumption of tobacco or new forms of smoking. It is necessary to continue researching this avenue of normalization of consumption and to ensure the protection of young people from the promotion of new devices.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.