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Vape, quit, tweet? Electronic cigarettes and smoking cessation on Twitter

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Tempel

    (Dalla Lana School of Public Health
    Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

  • Aliya Noormohamed

    (Dalla Lana School of Public Health
    Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

  • Robert Schwartz

    (Dalla Lana School of Public Health
    Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

  • Cameron Norman

    (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)

  • Muhannad Malas

    (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)

  • Laurie Zawertailo

    (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

Abstract

Objectives Individuals seeking information about electronic cigarettes are increasingly turning to social media networks like Twitter. We surveyed dominant Twitter communications about e-cigarettes and smoking cessation, examining message sources, themes, and attitudes. Methods Tweets from 2014 were searched for mentions of e-cigarettes and smoking cessation. A purposive sample was subjected to mixed-methods analysis. Results Twitter communication about e-cigarettes increased fivefold since 2012. In a sample of 300 tweets from high-authority users, attitudes about e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids were favorable across user types (industry, press, public figures, fake accounts, and personal users), except for public health professionals, who lacked consensus and contributed negligibly to the conversation. The most prevalent message themes were marketing, news, and first-person experiences with e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. We identified several industry strategies to reach Twitter users. Conclusions Our findings show that Twitter users are overwhelmingly exposed to messages that favor e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids, even when disregarding commercial activity. This underlines the need for effective public health engagement with social media to provide reliable information about e-cigarettes and smoking cessation online.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Tempel & Aliya Noormohamed & Robert Schwartz & Cameron Norman & Muhannad Malas & Laurie Zawertailo, 2016. "Vape, quit, tweet? Electronic cigarettes and smoking cessation on Twitter," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 61(2), pages 249-256, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijphth:v:61:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s00038-016-0791-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00038-016-0791-2
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bertin Martens & Luis Aguiar & Estrella Gomez Herrera & Frank Muller, 2018. "The digital transformation of news media and the rise of disinformation and fake news," JRC Working Papers on Digital Economy 2018-02, Joint Research Centre.
    2. Carla J. Berg & Lorien C. Abroms & Hagai Levine & Katelyn F. Romm & Amal Khayat & Christina N. Wysota & Zongshuan Duan & Yael Bar-Zeev, 2021. "IQOS Marketing in the US: The Need to Study the Impact of FDA Modified Exposure Authorization, Marketing Distribution Channels, and Potential Targeting of Consumers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-10, October.
    3. Claire Adams Spears & Dina M. Jones & Scott R. Weaver & Terry F. Pechacek & Michael P. Eriksen, 2016. "Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems among Adults with Mental Health Conditions, 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Catherine A. Hess & Tamar M. J. Antin & Rachelle Annechino & Geoffrey Hunt, 2017. "Perceptions of E-Cigarettes among Black Youth in California," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, January.
    5. Carnazza, Giovanni & Liberati, Paolo & Resce, Giuliano & Molinaro, Sabrina, 2021. "Smoking and income distribution: Inequalities in new and old products," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 261-268.
    6. Karolien Adriaens & Dinska Van Gucht & Frank Baeyens, 2018. "IQOS TM vs. e-Cigarette vs. Tobacco Cigarette: A Direct Comparison of Short-Term Effects after Overnight-Abstinence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Rosa Valls-Carol & Garazi Álvarez-Guerrero & Garazi López de Aguileta & Álvaro Alonso & Marta Soler-Gallart, 2021. "Citizen Debates in Social Networks about Didactic Resources for Mathematics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-11, November.
    8. Jessica Liu & Donghee N. Lee & Elise M. Stevens, 2023. "Characteristics Associated with Young Adults’ Intentions to Engage with Anti-Vaping Instagram Posts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-13, June.
    9. Jenny L Hatchard & Joao Quariguasi Frota Neto & Christos Vasilakis & Karen A Evans-Reeves, 2019. "Tweeting about public health policy: Social media response to the UK Government’s announcement of a Parliamentary vote on draft standardised packaging regulations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Hongying Dai & Michael J. Deem & Jianqiang Hao, 2017. "Geographic variations in electronic cigarette advertisements on Twitter in the United States," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(4), pages 479-487, May.
    11. Aversa, Joseph & Jacobson, Jenna & Hernandez, Tony & Cleave, Evan & Macdonald, Michael & Dizonno, Stephanie, 2021. "The social media response to the rollout of legalized cannabis retail in Ontario, Canada," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

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