Exposure to e-cigarette information and advertising in social media and e-cigarette use in Australia: A mixed methods study

Amin, Samia; Dunn, Adam G.; Laranjo, Liliana

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108112

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Others (22.8%) cited using e-cigarettes because they perceived them to be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes (19.2% in 2016), and 10.1% believed vaping to be more socially acceptable than tobacco smoking (6.0% in 2016). Further, 26.9% of respondents reported that they obtained their e-cigarette products online (Australian retailer 12.5%, overseas retailer 11.1%, unknown origin 3.3%), a trend that should be closely monitored [ 61 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

E-Cigarette Advocates on Twitter: Content Analysis of Vaping-Related Tweets

McCausland

Maycock

Leaver

et al. 2020

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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Background As the majority of Twitter content is publicly available, the platform has become a rich data source for public health surveillance, providing insights into emergent phenomena, such as vaping. Although there is a growing body of literature that has examined the content of vaping-related tweets, less is known about the people who generate and disseminate these messages and the role of e-cigarette advocates in the promotion of these devices. Objective This study aimed to identify key conversation trends and patterns over time, and discern the core voices, message frames, and sentiment surrounding e-cigarette discussions on Twitter. Methods A random sample of data were collected from Australian Twitter users who referenced at least one of 15 identified e-cigarette related keywords during 2012, 2014, 2016, or 2018. Data collection was facilitated by TrISMA (Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis) and analyzed by content analysis. Results A sample of 4432 vaping-related tweets posted and retweeted by Australian users was analyzed. Positive sentiment (3754/4432, 84.70%) dominated the discourse surrounding e-cigarettes, and vape retailers and manufacturers (1161/4432, 26.20%), the general public (1079/4432, 24.35%), and e-cigarette advocates (1038/4432, 23.42%) were the most prominent posters. Several tactics were used by e-cigarette advocates to communicate their beliefs, including attempts to frame e-cigarettes as safer than traditional cigarettes, imply that federal government agencies lack sufficient competence or evidence for the policies they endorse about vaping, and denounce as propaganda “gateway” claims of youth progressing from e-cigarettes to combustible tobacco. Some of the most common themes presented in tweets were advertising or promoting e-cigarette products (2040/4432, 46.03%), promoting e-cigarette use or intent to use (970/4432, 21.89%), and discussing the potential of e-cigarettes to be used as a smoking cessation aid or tobacco alternative (716/4432, 16.16%), as well as the perceived health and safety benefits and consequences of e-cigarette use (681/4432, 15.37%). Conclusions Australian Twitter content does not reflect the country’s current regulatory approach to e-cigarettes. Rather, the conversation on Twitter generally encourages e-cigarette use, promotes vaping as a socially acceptable practice, discredits scientific evidence of health risks, and rallies around the idea that e-cigarettes should largely be outside the bounds of health policy. The one-sided nature of the discussion is concerning, as is the lack of disclosure and transparency, especially among vaping enthusiasts who dominate the majority of e-cigarette discussions on Twitter, where it is unclear if comments are endorsed, sanctioned, or even supported by the industry.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

E-Cigarette Advocates on Twitter: Content Analysis of Vaping-Related Tweets

McCausland

Maycock

Leaver

et al. 2020

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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“…Therefore, it is very crucial to understand the consumer's online purchase intention of e-cigarettes from social media channels. Moreover, evidence suggest that e-cigarette users accessed e-cigarette information and advertising on social media platforms [19]; but there is lack of evidence about the impact of online interaction among peers to purchase e-cigarettes in social media. Thus, the current study aims to determine the association between individual's tobacco consumption status and online interaction in social media with e-cigarette purchase intention from Facebook vape groups.…”

Section: Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

E-cigarette Purchase Intention through Facebook Social Media: A Cross-Sectional Study

Parvin

Zaman

Amin

2021

UJBM

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“…Participants in a related survey study 28 were asked as part of the survey if they would be willing to participate in interviews and share their contact details. Those who agreed and shared their contact details were contacted and invited to participate in an interview in sequence until data saturation (see below).…”

Section: Study Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…were included in the associated survey questionnaire, 28 and these details were used in this study to characterise interview participants. These included never smokers (no previous cigarette use), ex-smokers (previous use of cigarettes and no current use), occasional smokers (frequency of cigarette use is less than daily) and smokers (daily cigarette use).…”

Section: Demographic Information and Current Tobacco Use Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interview guide was initially informed by our systematic review of the area, 30 and tailored to match the Australian context using preliminary data from the related survey (Table 1). 28 One-onone, semi-structured interviews were conducted either via face-toface on campus (N = 2) or by telephone (N = 12). The interviews with each participant lasted from 5 to 15 minutes (the mean time of the interviews was 12 minutes) and field notes were taken throughout the interviews.…”

Section: Semi-structured Interviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Why do people start or stop using e‐cigarettes in Australia? A qualitative interview‐based study

Amin

Dunn

Laranjo

2020

Health Prom J of Aust

Self Cite

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Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has increased rapidly since their introduction. 1,2 Vaping is now the most popular alternative to smoking among younger populations in the United States. 3,4 In the last decade, e-cigarette use among young people has increased mainly in high-income countries, 5,6 and use in past and current cigarette smokers is also highest in these countries. 7 Australia has relatively low rates of e-cigarette use compared to other high-income countries, [8][9][10][11][12] which is likely a result of differences in regulation and access.Evidence of the safety of e-cigarettes is mixed and further complicated by differences in the benefits and harms as a smoking cessation intervention relative to recreational use among non-smokers.The perception that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes 13,14 justifies their use as a smoking cessation intervention from a harm reduction perspective. 15 However, the short-term and long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are not yet well understood. 16,17 Emerging evidence has suggested a link between flavoured e-cigarette use and cardiovascular diseases, 18 and vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol may have played a role in vaping-related lung injuries

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Exposure to e-cigarette information and advertising in social media and e-cigarette use in Australia: A mixed methods study

Cited by 20 publications

References 28 publications

E-Cigarette Advocates on Twitter: Content Analysis of Vaping-Related Tweets

E-Cigarette Advocates on Twitter: Content Analysis of Vaping-Related Tweets

E-cigarette Purchase Intention through Facebook Social Media: A Cross-Sectional Study

Why do people start or stop using e‐cigarettes in Australia? A qualitative interview‐based study

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