Social Media and E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review of the Role of Influencers and Platforms in Promoting Vaping Culture

Introduction The widespread use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adolescents and young adults has become a significant public health concern. With the rise of social media, exposure to content promoting e-cigarette use, including endorsements by influencers, has become increasingly pervasive. This overlap between social media and vaping culture may contribute to the normalization and growing use of e-cigarettes among this vulnerable population. Objectives This article aims to systematically examine the influence of social media use and endorsements by influencers on e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults, identifying patterns of exposure and consumption across various platforms and providing insights for future prevention and intervention strategies. Methods This systematic review aims to explore the impact of social media use and influencers on e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults. A PRISMA model review was conducted across four databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords (vape, e-cigarette, smoking, social media, influencer, adolescent) were used to search for full-text studies published in English from the last five years. The studies included focused on human subjects aged 10-21 and met predefined eligibility criteria. Of the 1,064 articles initially identified, 37 were included after screening and removing duplicates. Results Thirty-seven articles met the eligibility criteria. The analysis focused on five key social media platforms: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. However, significant methodological limitations were noted in the studies. Conclusions The research highlights a strong link between social media use and youth e-cigarette consumption. Exposure to vaping content, ads, and peer influence on social media increases the risk, particularly among younger and vulnerable groups. Social media enables both direct marketing and peer-to-peer promotion. Stricter regulations on online ads and enhanced parental controls are necessary to mitigate these risks and reduce youth vaping rates. Disclosure of Interest None Declared