Tobacco companies spent more than $6 billion in 2021 to make cigarettes cheaper, hooking youth before the algorithm can. Youth ages 10 to 19 should know the risks: lung damage, heart issues, anxiety, nicotine addiction, and peer pressure. Know the facts. Don’t buy the hype.

• Those random vaping posts? Many are carefully crafted marketing tricks to shape your choices.
• Many posts promoting e-cigarettes use terms such as safe and natural, but these are often marketing strategies designed to lure you into vaping.
• Social media campaigns are carefully crafted to attract you, but don’t be misled by the trends. Vaping may seem harmless, but the risks are real.
• Hashtags such as #vapefam and #vapenation aren’t community; they are marketing strategies. Real family bonds, friendships, and community do not require using any vaping product.
• Vape memes seem fun, but they are ads in disguise, making vaping look cool to sell products. Be alert not to fall for the marketing tricks.
• Celebrities and influencers may not genuinely support the vapes they showcase; don’t confuse ads with real trends or authentic choices.
• Vape contests aren’t just for fun; they are free advertising. Companies use your posts to sell to your friends because your friends trust you more than company ads.
• All those appealing flavors and trendy designs are not random. They are specifically created to attract you.
• Vaping posts blend into your feed, blurring ads with real content. Spot the difference to know which content is for marketing and which is real content from friends.
• Remember that trends fade, but your choices stick. Think critically about your health and well-being today and in the future; they matter more than fitting in.

Adrienne Duke Marks, Extension Specialist, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies; Angela Mintah, Graduate Student, Human Development and Family Studies, both of Auburn University

New June 2025, Vape Trends and Social Media: Navigating the Culture, FCS-2880