Social media is a worldwide virtual connection of billions of people. It can show the world anything in just a click. Thus, it can also kill in just a click. One of its negative effects is advertising products such as cigarettes, since it can influence the youth, trigger curiosity, and unable to resist addiction.
Influence Youth
The Klear, Research Company, stated 96% of all tobacco brands incorporated Instagram and in 2019, influencers market increased 48% (Rowell, 2020). Which insists the youth is fatal to be influenced, especially during pandemic where interactions are wide virtually.
Curiosity
People are stressed due to this pandemic. Coping is needed. However, instead of exercising healthy activities, others chooses to smoke to calm their systems. Non-smokers are at high risk of being influenced into smoking if they are stressed. Especially when they saw a post such as e-cigarette advertisement. This can trigger their curiosity to try.
Addiction
Nicotine is an addictive component of cigarettes. So, once a person tried it, they will seek for more satisfaction. A survey shows 7.6% of smokers are willing to quit (Schraer, 2020), but once a platform advertises and one of those people saw it, then there are a high probability of getting exposed again.
Overall, the success of Tobacco companies can cause to increase the 480,000 deaths each year (Powerful Anti-Smoking Ad Campaigns Work, 2020). Therefore, we can conclude that social media is not the best way to advertise a product that could kill a person in just a simple click.
References
Powerful Anti-Smoking Ad Campaigns Work. (2020). Retrieved from Tobbaco Free Florida: https://tobaccofreeflorida.com/blog/powerfulads/
Rowell, A. (2020, January 23). Big Tobacco wants social media influencers to promote its products – can the platforms stop it? Retrieved from The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/big-tobacco-wants-social-media-influencers-to-promote-its-products-can-the-platforms-stop-it-129957
Schraer, R. (2020, July 4). Coronavirus: Smokers quit in highest numbers in a decade. Retrieved from BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53403610#:~:text=In%20the%20year%20to%20June%202020%2C%207.6%25%20of%20smokers%20taking,quit%20per%20year%20since%202007.