Tobacco companies have continuously targeted younger generations throughout its existence as method of increasing their profit. Younger populations are permissively vulnerable to the idea of feeling accepted by peer groups, as they try to figure out their own place or sense of self. Currently, a headline that has become of a rising concern for many parents is the vaping epidemic among high school students in the United States. According to the Center of Disease Prevention and Control as of 2011, e-cigarette use has risen from 1.5% to 11.7% in 2017, among high school students (CDC, 2016).
As reported by many news outlets, such as CNN, the making of flavored vaping pens has made it easier to grasp younger generations due to its variety of flavors and its accessibility. This newly developed form of nicotine intake has become popular among teenagers partially caused by social identity. In a stage in which teens are developing their self-concept, peer interactions can increase the likelihood of part taking in vaping behaviors. In a study conducted by Gentina, Kilic and Dancoine (2017), results showed students with higher insecurities and experiencing loneliness were more susceptible to e-cigarette use as a form of maintaining social status. Public self-consciousness is another contributing factor reinforcing the use of vaping products among adolescents.
Males are more prone to adopting e-cigarettes as a way of maintaining their social status and power, than females (Gentina, Kilic, & Dancoine, 2017). This can also be associated with gender and culture, as males’ masculinity can be challenged if they do not part take in conforming behaviors (Principles of Social Psychology, 2015). Furthermore, advertisements are a contributing factor that have facilitated the vaping epidemic. E-cigarette advertisements have aggressively targeted young individuals as they can be found in malls, magazines, gas stations, and online sources (Kong, Morean, Cavallo, Camenga, Krishnan-Sarin, 2015). Associational learning is one type of approach that e-cigarette advertisements and campaigns have incorporated to support influencing intentions towards e-cigarettes use.
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One common approach is the advertisement of flavoring vapes that appear appealing to non-smokers. Other e-cigarette campaigns have provided younger populations with free samples as a method of positively perceiving vaping behaviors (Stroup & Branstetter, 2018). To add, e-cigarette campaigns work to reduce perceived harmfulness, leading students’ representativeness heuristic to discard any health risk that may exist when vaping. A frequently used approach, is marketing e-cigarettes as healthier and safer than cigarette use (Kong, Morean, Cavallo, Camenga, Krishnan-Sarin, 2015). The attitude towards vaping among high school students has directed its acceptability as a social norm among teenagers.
Due to advertisements portraying vaping as trendy and fashionable, a positive attitude towards vaping has been established (Stroup & Branstetter, 2018). Meaning that attitude consistency among high school students will more likely lead to the participation in vaping behaviors as it has been normalized (Principles of Social Psychology, 2015). Additionally, students with high self-monitoring are more likely to participate in vaping behaviors as a form of blending into social situations (Principles of Social Psychology, 2015). This in part can be associated with younger generations tendency to have a higher value attached to peer groups (Gentina, Kilic, & Dancoine, 2017).
Especially among nonsmokers, who are more prone to experimenting with e-cigarettes to fit in with social groups (Stroup & Branstetter, 2018). Additionally, as teenagers are extremely self-conscious, their social status is an important component to their identification (Principles of Social Psychology, 2015). Notably among popular teens, as they feel the necessity to keep their social standings within their social networks. Consequently, teens that are considered “popular,” have an increased possibility of experimenting or using vapes as a form of keeping their social rankings (Gentina, Kilic, & Dancoine, 2017).
Previous studies have found a correlation between perception and tobacco products. Individuals that use tobacco products are perceived as cool and are commonly accepted among their peers (Camenga et al., 2018). Not only are teenagers in higher rankings more likely to conform with vaping behaviors, but they may also be classified as early adaptors to new products. Popular teenagers within their social groups, play an important role in finalizing decision-making or behavior among those contemplating the use of vape pens (Stroup & Branstetter, 2018). As an individual’s final decision when considering the use of e-cigarettes would commonly be influenced by another peer with credibility (Stroup & Branstetter, 2018). Conclusively, vaping has become a rising concern for many parents in the United States.
Its accessibility and range of flavored pens has captured the many high school students at their vulnerable states. The increased use of advertisement aimed at marketing the product as fashionable and trendy, has made it a socially acceptable among peer groups. The perceived benefits marketed by e-cigarette campaigns seems to outweigh the consequences and health problems that may occur when using the product. Specifically when looking at social standings and acceptability to social groups.
