Common Sense on Vaping and Social Media

Common Sense ran a poll through SurveyMonkey to find out about teen social behavior as it pertains to vaping, the newest form of smoking that could be as harmful as cigarettes. That poll shows social media is a major factor in connecting teens with vaping.

This particular poll comes on the heels of Common Sense launching a public education and advocacy campaign on the dangers of Big Tobacco and e-cigarettes.

It is also part of the partnership between SurveyMonkey and Common Sense to examine media and technology trends affecting children and their parents, as well as sharing actionable data and insights with those families.

Common Sense:

Perhaps best known for their anti-smoking stance, Common Sense is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through providing the trustworthy information, education, and an independent voice.

Methodology of the Survey:

This SurveyMonkey Audience survey was conducted from September 23 to October 4, 2019, among 1,062 teenagers aged 13 to 17 in the United States. Respondents for this survey were selected from more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day.

The modeled error estimate for the full sample is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Data have been weighted for age and sex using the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States age 13 to 17.

Selected Key Findings:

1. More teens now use TikTok than Facebook. According to the survey, more than four in 10 teens used TikTok across the same time period as 39% using Facebook. TikTok, at a year old in 2019, has become a platform giant among the younger generation.

2. Instagram and Snapchat users are most likely to see vaping content. This tells an advertiser more about where teens are hanging out

3. Most of the vaping-related content is advertising. This says teens are seeing advertising in high numbers, a boon if you’re trying to advertise to teens.

Social Media Marketing to Teens:

1. Go where they hang out. More teens are using visual mediums such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram over Facebook.

2. Be aware of what you’re promoting. As they are a vulnerable population, a brand should always be very aware of what they’re promoting to teens.