This month, I wanted to look at something we know matters for prevention: why are young people still taking up tobacco and other nicotine products – and what can we do about it?
A recent paper (Availability, appeal, and addictiveness by design: Tobacco and nicotine industry deliberate targeting of youth) focuses on the deliberate targeting of young people by the tobacco and nicotine industry. Young people make choices. But those choices don’t happen in a vacuum. Young people are not accidentally becoming addicted to vapes and nicotine – it’s by design. This paper presents evidence that the industry designs products, marketing and environments specifically to attract young people, get them using nicotine, and keep them using it. For an industry that depends on new and continuing customers, that’s good business.
Who’s targeted the most?
Exposure to this marketing and product design isn’t even across the population. Indigenous peoples, racialised communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people facing socioeconomic disadvantage are targeted more and protected less by current regulation.
The authors caution against calling these groups “vulnerable” – that language can hide the real issue: it’s not that these communities are inherently susceptible, it’s that systems have failed to protect them, leaving them more exposed to industry targeting.
This is a difference worth carrying into community messaging in your TIS program; it shifts the story from “the community is at risk” to “the community deserves better protection.”
Take Home Message for TIS
Vaping and smoking uptake among young people isn’t a failure of individual choice – it’s a predictable outcome of an industry that designs products, marketing, and market conditions to create young, lifelong customers. The Next Generation – Aboriginal Youth Wellbeing study provides Australian evidence about the factors associated with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth not using nicotine products: connection, culture, smoke-free norms, and the absence of racism and unfair justice contact appear to protect youth. For TIS teams, this means prevention is about strengthening those protective factors in practical ways. This could mean:
Strengthening smoke-free norms By supporting families, peer groups, schools and community settings to make being nicotine-free visible and normal.
Building connection and cultural strength By creating opportunities for young people to connect with culture, community, family and positive role models.
Supporting wellbeing and belonging By linking tobacco and vaping prevention with activities that strengthen mental wellbeing and connection rather than treating nicotine use in isolation.
Creating positive alternative By using sport, recreation, education and other activities that give young people opportunities to participate, connect and build confidence.
Creating safe and supportive spaces Recognising the importance of racism, discrimination and experiences with justice systems when working with young people, and making trust, safety and connection part of prevention.
Keep advocating for change beyond the community level By support policies and regulation that reduce young people’s exposure to appealing nicotine products, marketing and other industry influences
Click on the thumbnail to the right to read Connie’s full update.
For more of Connie the Cockie’s updates, visit the Tobacco Control News page.
