Individuals from minority groups, current smokers, and those with lower education or income levels are more likely to encounter—and remember seeing—tobacco-related advertising, marketing, or promotions when watching streaming platforms, researchers reported in study findings published in JAMA Network.
The researchers used data from the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey, conducted from March 7–November 8, 2022, to inform their study. It included responses from 5,775 participants, including 3,415 females (50.5%), 970 Hispanic individuals (16.9%), 872 non-Hispanic Black or African American individuals (11.1%), 3144 non-Hispanic White individuals (61.5%), and 632 individuals who currently smoke (12.0%). The survey asked the question, “During the past three months, have you noticed or heard tobacco products being advertised, marketed, or promoted in any of the following places?” Respondents were required to mark all that apply, and one of the response options was seeing or hearing tobacco products being marketed, advertised, or promoted on TV or streaming platforms. More than 90% of the participants responded to the question.
Overall, 12.4% of respondents reported exposure to tobacco advertisements, marketing, or promotion on TV or streaming platforms. Exposure was highest among those aged 35–49 (13.4%), those with a high school education or less (16.4%), non-Hispanic Black or African American respondents (19.4%), those with a household annual income less than $20,000 (17.6%), and individuals who currently smoke (17.0%).
“With the advent of smart TVs and streaming platforms, advertising has become much more streamlined with greater precision,” the researchers said. “Hence, tobacco promotion could be targeted at specific racial groups through programs and may worsen existing disparities in tobacco use.”
However, the researchers suggested that streaming services could be “leveraged for more tobacco cessation education programming and interventions among individuals who currently smoke and who frequently patronize streaming services.” They recommended increasing regulation of tobacco marketing as well as public health education to promote more equitable awareness.
In its e-cigarette and vaping position statement, ONS calls for regulation of “the manufacture, import, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes” and other tobacco products. In the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care tobacco position statement that ONS endorses, the society says that “nurses must be recognized as and empowered to be critical enablers in the fight against the global tobacco epidemic” and that “nurses must take an active role in initiating and supporting local, national, regional, and international tobacco control policy and legislation.”
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