Social Media Influencers Promoting Cannabis Alongside E-Cigarettes May Increase Teen Vaping Interest
California teens exposed to micro-influencer posts promoting e-cigarettes alongside cannabis had higher odds of intending to try e-cigarettes, especially when they perceived the influencers as credible.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Adolescents in the experimental group (exposed to influencer posts promoting e-cigarettes with cannabis) had higher odds of e-cigarette use intentions compared to those exposed to e-cigarette-only posts, particularly among participants who perceived micro-influencers as credible.
Key Numbers
N = 1,402 adolescent never-users. Mean age 17 (SD 0.6). 51.4% female, 41.7% Hispanic. Study period: 2023–2024. Three conditions: e-cigarettes + cannabis, e-cigarettes only, no substances.
How They Did This
Survey-based repeated-measures experiment with 1,402 California adolescent never-users (mean age 17), randomly assigned to view Instagram images of micro-influencers promoting e-cigarettes with cannabis, e-cigarettes alone, or no substances. Analyzed using binomial generalized linear mixed effects models.
Why This Research Matters
Micro-influencers on social media are increasingly promoting cannabis and vaping products together. Understanding how this combined marketing affects teen susceptibility to substance use can inform social media regulations and public health campaigns.
The Bigger Picture
This study highlights how the normalization of cannabis in marketing contexts can have spillover effects on other substance use susceptibility. As cannabis marketing becomes more visible with legalization, its influence on teen perceptions of other substances warrants attention.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Measured intentions, not actual behavior. California-specific sample may not generalize. Simulated Instagram exposure in a classroom differs from real-world social media use. Short-term effects measured; long-term influence unknown.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis co-promotion with e-cigarettes also increase cannabis use susceptibility?
- ?Would platform-level restrictions on influencer substance marketing reduce teen exposure?
- ?Do these effects differ by social media platform?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Experimental design with randomization, but measured intentions rather than behavior and was conducted in a classroom setting rather than natural social media use.
- Study Age:
- Published 2025, data from 2023–2024.
- Original Title:
- E-cigarette and cannabis in social media influencer marketing and its effect on adolescents: a survey-based experiment.
- Published In:
- Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (2025)
- Authors:
- Vassey, Julia(2), Chen-Sankey, Julia(10), Unger, Jennifer B(9)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07856
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do social media influencers actually make teens try vaping?
This study measured susceptibility and intentions, not actual behavior change. However, intentions are a strong predictor of future behavior, and credible influencers had the strongest effect on teen interest in trying e-cigarettes.
Why does combining cannabis with e-cigarette marketing matter?
The study suggests that pairing cannabis with e-cigarettes in marketing may normalize both substances together, increasing teens' openness to trying at least one of them, particularly when the marketing comes from perceived credible sources.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07856APA
Vassey, Julia; Chen-Sankey, Julia; Unger, Jennifer B. (2025). E-cigarette and cannabis in social media influencer marketing and its effect on adolescents: a survey-based experiment.. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf225
MLA
Vassey, Julia, et al. "E-cigarette and cannabis in social media influencer marketing and its effect on adolescents: a survey-based experiment.." Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf225
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "E-cigarette and cannabis in social media influencer marketin..." RTHC-07856. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/vassey-2025-ecigarette-and-cannabis-in
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.