Professor Des Cox, Chair of the Tobacco Policy Group at the Royal College of Physicians, has expressed his concern about the impact of TikTok's promotion of e-cigarettes on the physical and mental health of young people. He is worried that the trend of underage youth using e-cigarettes is increasing, and social media platforms like TikTok may be contributing to this.
He told Radio One: "There is a big problem with the marketing of disposable e-cigarettes. In a recent study, the most common form of advertising was found to be through TikTok. The manufacturers' strategy is that they are trying to get young people hooked on these devices. That's where the problem lies." Despite Professor Cox stating that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes, he still believes this to be a significant issue.
When you see studies about people switching to e-cigarettes, about 40% to 50% of them continue to smoke, creating what we call dual users," he added. "Long-term use of e-cigarettes has significant effects on the heart and lungs. Over time, we will see this. It won't happen overnight. They contain unique chemicals that differ from tobacco, and we don't know what impact these unique ingredients will have on people over time.
The professor emphasized that vaping is becoming a child protection issue, as it could lead to smoking. He stated, "A study of 4,000 children aged 15 to 16 found that 22% were e-cigarette users. This has become a child protection issue. Numerous studies show that young people are attracted to the flavors. Rather than allowing young children and teens to develop this habit, they become addicted to nicotine and find it difficult to quit.
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