Videos promoting and selling e-cigarettes are proliferating on TikTok with experts concerned the social media platform is glamourising vaping to its predominantly adolescent audience.
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Experts are concerned TikToks' algorithms work to expose users to similar content, allowing videos to reach a large audience quickly. Research has found the majority of videos on the platform depicted vaping positively.
Vaping is the act of smoking e-cigarettes, or 'vapes', which are lithium battery-powered devices. Vapes use cartridges filled with liquids, or 'juice', which typically contain nicotine, artificial flavourings, and various chemicals.
The liquid is heated into an aerosol, or vapour, and inhaled into the user's lungs.
University of Queensland researchers conducted analysis of TikTok videos containing vaping-related hashtags including '#vape', '#vapetricks', '#juulgang', '#nicotine' and '#vapenation'.
The study, published in the journal Tobacco Control, evaluated the content of 808 popular vaping videos and found the majority of videos depicted vaping positively and had been viewed collectively more than 1.5 billion times.
Research has shown exposure to e-cigarette marketing and related content on social media was associated with a greater likelihood of future e-cigarette use in adolescents.
US public health expert Corey Basch said TikTok algorithms allowed videos to proliferate more quickly and widely than on other platforms.
"It's possible that a person using TikTok could continuously see a content creator that is vaping, or content related to vaping if this is what is recommended by the algorithm and the user positively interacts with the content," Dr Basch said.
"In light of the age range of the majority of TikTok users, as well as their exposure to social media and vaping experiences, this raises concern.
TikTok has prohibitive community guidelines against underage individuals posting vaping content, but this can be usurped
- Health expert Corey Basch
Vaping and e-cigarette use has been touted as a less dangerous method of smoking, and in some cases is prescribed to facilitate quitting smoking, despite conflicting evidence that it is successful in achieving that outcome.
But the uptake of vaping among young people has raised concerns for public health.
According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, of young adults aged 18-24 who tried e-cigarettes, the majority (74 per cent) said they did so out of curiosity.
In October 2021 all nicotine vaping products became illegal to purchase in Australia without a doctor's prescription.
The advertising and promotion of vaping products is illegal in Australia, however on TikTok a user can find numerous videos marketing and promoting vapes, and this is no accident.
"There are many reasons why vaping is marketed in a way that appeals to teens," Dr Basch said.
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"The flavourings often appeal to a younger generation with flavours ranging from fruit to candy. E-cigarettes are much easier to conceal, by design they appear as an everyday object like a pen or USB.
"Overall, it's more difficult for parents and guardians to trace the activity, as the odour of a traditional cigarette is much easier to detect."
Dr Basch's research argues it is necessary for public health agencies to improve their understanding of the nature and content of TikTok videos that attract viewers' attention and harness the strength of this communication channel to promote informed decision-making about vaping.
"Health authorities can meet teens where they are to deliver information about the health risks of vaping to teens-on TikTok," she said.
"However, the extent to which health professionals are well received on this platform, largely run by adolescents, is unknown."
