Hazards of New Media: Youths Exposure to Tobacco Ads/Promotions

A gap in knowledge exists about the youths exposure to protobacco campaigns via new electronic media outlets. In response, we use national data to delineate the associations between tobacco ads/promotions delivered through new media outlets (i.e., social network sites and text messages) and youth attitudes/beliefs about tobacco and intent to use (among youth who had not yet used tobacco). Data were derived from the 2011 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth enrolled in both public and private schools (N 15,673). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between demographic characteristics and reported exposure to tobacco ads/promotions via social networking sites and text messages. Logistic regression models were also used to investigate associations between exposure tobacco ads/promotions and attitudes toward tobacco. We found that highly susceptible youth (i.e., minorities, very young youth, and youth who have not yet used tobacco) have observed tobacco ads/promotions on social networking sites and text messages. These youth are more likely to have favorable attitudes toward tobacco, including the intention to use tobacco among those who had not yet used tobacco. Our findings underscore the need for policy strategies to more effectively monitor and regulate tobacco advertising via new media outlets.