Study Claims Vaping Ads May Increase Teen Vaping

A new study from Canadian researchers shows banning e-cigarette advertising reduces teen vaping. The study compared teen vaping rates in Quebec and Manitoba where there are strict laws against e-cigarette ads, to other provinces that do not restrict these ads.

Researchers at University of Waterloo in Ontario found that exposure to vaping ads was more prevalent in areas without restrictions, and teens who noticed the ads were more likely to vape. The study was published in ‘Pediatrics.’

Study author David Hammond, a professor of public health at the University of Waterloo, said this situation set up a “unique natural experiment” for researchers as Canada went from ban to a more open market, in an article from US News and World Report.

“It allowed us to answer the hypothetical question: Would lifting the restrictions make a difference in teen e-cigarette use?” he said.

The answer? “E-cigarette marketing does make a difference,” Hammond said. “It does reach minors. What our study says is that regulating marketing limited the amount of vaping.”