Millions of Young People See Vape Marketing Online
Millions of young people around the world are being exposed to advertising for nicotine pouches and vapes on social media.
That's according to a report by a group called the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The report said that some of the world's biggest tobacco companies are using paid influencers and online competitions to promote their products.
The report looked at advertisements for three products made by British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International. The ads have been viewed more than 3.4 billion times on social media, with most of the views coming on Instagram.
And it was found that the content has also been viewed by 16 million teenagers under the age of 18.
Some countries have made it illegal for young people to buy vapes, or electronic cigarettes, but in others it is still allowed.
Nicotine pouches are small "parcels" of flavored nicotine that are put into the mouth under the lip.
In the US, it's illegal to sell these — and any nicotine product — to those under 21, while in the Netherlands the pouches are banned.
Nicotine is addictive. It can affect memory and concentration, and experts say young people are particularly at risk from the long-term effects of nicotine use.
The report said these tobacco companies had intended to "flood" social media with advertising campaigns using influencers, discounts and sports brand collaborations.
And although Facebook and Instagram don't allow advertisements for nicotine products, it was found that the tobacco companies still used more than 50 social media accounts in at least 45 countries to advertise their products.
They also sponsored events to help promote vapes and pouches.
British American Tobacco said it made it clear that its products were designed for adult smokers and nicotine users only.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids called on governments and social media companies to remove illegal tobacco and nicotine advertising.
