How synthetic nicotine brands market e-cigarettes to young people on social media

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open Network,researchers, including lead author Jiaxi Wu, now a postdoctoral fellow at the Health Communication & Equity Labat the Annenberg School for Communication, analyzed over 2,000 Instagram posts by synthetic nicotine e-cigarette brands and found that 87% did not adhere to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for tobacco marketing.

Synthetic nicotine is nicotine created in a laboratory rather than from tobacco leaves and currently accounts for nearly two-thirds of all product offerings in vape shops across the U.S. Though very little is known regarding the health effects associated with synthetic nicotine use, it is pharmacologically similar to tobacco-derived nicotine and likely has similar addictive properties. Nicotine addiction adversely affects brain development and psychosocial health in young people, and those who use e-cigarettes are at increased risk of using combustible tobacco products like traditional cigarettes.

The FDA passed a requirement in 2022 that advertisements for e-cigarettes containing synthetic nicotine need to include a health warning that takes up 20% of the advertising space and appears in the upper portion of the ad.

Despite this, synthetic nicotine companies have been very successful at evading this requirement, especially on social media, where advertisements can reach the millions of teenagers and young people who use these platforms daily. These companies also produce products in flavors previously banned in traditional tobacco products and cartridge-based e-cigarettes, like cotton candy and bubblegum, which youth are especially drawn to.

Their analysis found that the vast majority (87%) of posts did not include warning labels informing users about the health risks. In fact, only 13% of posts complied with both FDA health warning requirements.

In their content analysis, the researchers found that health warnings can lower social media engagement. Posts with health warnings received an average of 5.4 comments, while those without health warnings received an average of 1.8 comments. Furthermore, larger pixel area for warning labels relative to the post was linked to fewer comments.

"This study shows the urgency to share evidence-based research with the FDA and policymakers to deter the uptake of tobacco products," says Wu, explaining that these ads encourage the trial of e-cigarettes as well as a variety of nicotine and tobacco-based products.

Read more at Annenberg School for Communication.