Study: The Tobacco and Nicotine Industry as Seen by Young Americans

A study published by Truth Initiative in December 2020[1] shows that young Americans have a particularly strong distrust of the tobacco and nicotine industry. However, the study highlights that unprecedented levels of consumption have been recorded among this same population.

Between September and December 2019, Truth Initiative researchers surveyed nearly 10,000 young Americans, ages 15 to 28, to understand this age group's perceptions of the tobacco and vaping industry.

A failing public image among young people according to the study

The survey results show that the tobacco and vaping industry suffers from a particularly poor image among young Americans. 92% of them believe that the vaping industry is lying about the harmfulness of its products. The techniques used by manufacturers to recruit a new generation of consumers are also particularly well-known by those surveyed. Thus, 79% of them are aware that the marketing of sweet and fruity flavors for e-cigarettes aims to encourage young people to consume. The potential gateway effect from e-cigarettes to traditional cigarettes is perceived by 85% of young Americans. According to Truth Initiative, a young e-cigarette user is seven times more likely to consume manufactured cigarettes after a year, compared to a person who has never used e-cigarettes.

Study highlights expectation of regulation

While the tobacco and nicotine industry is deploying gigantic public relations efforts to position itself as a responsible social actor, engaged in the " risk reduction ", young people, however, remain relatively receptive to this discourse. Indeed, for 65% of those questioned, tobacco companies " are not part of the solution" to combat the tobacco epidemic. Young Americans also seem to favor better legislation. More than half of those surveyed (52%) consider that the current regulations on vaping are insufficient, and only 5% that they are too strict.

A “vaping epidemic” among young people

Despite this distrust of the industry and its practices, consumption among young Americans has reached unprecedented levels. According to Truth Initiative, 4.7% of American middle school students reported using e-cigarettes, compared to 19.6% of high school students. Although identified as incentives, flavors are very widely consumed by the new generation. Thus, 97% of young American vapers use these sweet or fruity products. The latter are also vectors of initiation: 80% of young people aged 12 to 17 who have used tobacco reported starting with a flavored tobacco product. Finally, exempt from federal bans, the use of menthol e-cigarettes increased by 10,000TP3T between 2018 and 2019.

Continue efforts to counter industry strategies

Following these results, the researchers of the study draw a set of conclusions and strategies to implement:

• Develop information and awareness campaigns on industry techniques, identified as responsible for the health situation;
• Target these campaigns more specifically at smokers and American minorities, the industry's preferred targets;
• Restrict the sale of flavored products;
• Reduce youth exposure to industry attempts to normalize smoking and vaping through better regulation of marketing practices (influencers, films, entertainment);
• Develop research to better understand and anticipate the strategies of the tobacco and nicotine industry.

[1] Truth Initiative, Seeing through Big Tobacco's Spin, December 2020, (accessed December 23, 2020)