Social Media as Both a Challenge and a Tool for Anti-Tobacco Health Promotion in School Settings

Abstract

The use of social media among adolescents has increased rapidly and influences various health behaviors, including smoking and the use of e-cigarettes. In the school setting, social media can pose a challenge through exposure to tobacco-related content and advertisements, but it also has the potential to serve as an effective tool for anti-tobacco health promotion. This study aims to examine the role of social media as both a challenge and a tool for anti-smoking health promotion in school settings using a literature review method with a narrative approach. The literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using keywords related to social media, smoking, e-cigarettes, health promotion, schools, and adolescents. The articles included were original studies with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods designs published between 2020 and 2024, available in full text, and relevant to the research topic. The review of eight articles revealed that exposure to tobacco or e-cigarette content and advertisements on social media is associated with an increased risk of smoking behavior among adolescents, particularly through the intensity of use of specific digital platforms. On the other hand, social media can also be utilized as a tool for health promotion through digital education, raising awareness of the dangers of smoking, implementing Smoke-Free Zones (SFZs), and school-based technological innovations. In conclusion, social media plays a dual role in the context of anti-tobacco health promotion in school settings as both a challenge and a tool for health promotion and therefore needs to be utilized appropriately to mitigate negative impacts and optimize its positive potential in preventing smoking behavior among adolescents.