The Social Nature of Vaping: A Qualitative Review of Substance Use, Social Media, and Adolescent Nicotine Use

This review examines the mechanisms by which adolescents encounter and access substances through social media platforms and social facilitators of substance use, including peer influence. It synthesizes data from three qualitative studies identified in a systematic review and analyzes narrative themes related to social integration and access to substances. The included studies revealed that adolescents were exposed to substances on social media, particularly nicotine products and electronic cigarettes (vapes). The studies also highlighted that vaping is a socially embedded behavior among adolescents, particularly during initiation, and that access to vapes occurred largely through social circles, including older siblings, peers, and adults met via social media. This review examined the intersection of social media and social influences on substance use among adolescents (under age 18), with particular emphasis on the mechanisms that sustain and promote underage nicotine use. Youth perspectives emphasized the social reasons for initiation and continued use, and accessing vaping devices and materials through their social networks and social media.