Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41327414›Full record

ArticleArchives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique2025

#notforkids: alcohol, vaping, and cannabis marketing by social media influencers popular with children and adolescents on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and policy implications.

Monique Potvin Kent, Mariangela Bagnato, Meghan Pritchard, Ashley Amson, Lauren Remedios, Soulene Sabir, Grace Gillis, Elise Pauzé, Laura Vergeer, Lana Vanderlee and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Monique Potvin KentSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada. monique.potvinkent@uottawa.ca.
Mariangela BagnatoSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Meghan PritchardSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Ashley AmsonInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Lauren RemediosSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Soulene SabirSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Grace GillisSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Elise PauzéInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Laura VergeerSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand, Room 301J, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
Lana VanderleeSchool of Nutrition, Centre NUTRISS (Nutrition, santé, société), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Christine M WhiteSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
David HammondSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the popularity of social media among children and adolescents, there is comparatively little research on social media influencer marketing, particularly in the context of harmful products. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of advertisements for alcohol, vaping, and cannabis products/brands promoted by social media influencers popular with Canadian children and adolescents on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and analyze the marketing techniques used.

methodsThe top 9 influencers among Canadian children (10-12 years) and top 8 among Canadian adolescents (13-17 years) were identified from the 2021 International Food Policy Study. A subset of posts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok between June 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022, were examined for alcohol, vaping, and cannabis marketing. The frequency of marketing instances for each commodity was determined by age group and platform.

resultsWe found no cannabis or vaping marketing. Influencers popular with children made 25 posts with alcohol marketing on Instagram and YouTube, showcasing 34 products/brands, while influencers popular with adolescents made 9 posts with alcohol marketing, featuring 16 alcohol products/brands. TikTok posts did not feature any alcohol products. Among influencers popular with children, YouTube accounted for most alcohol-related posts (72%), with beer being the most promoted (47%). Among influencers popular with adolescents, posts were mostly on Instagram (78%), with spirits being the most promoted (75%). Most posts across both age groups showed the product. Songs/music and appeals to fun/cool were the most common marketing techniques among influencers popular with children and adolescents, respectively.

conclusionsAlcohol marketing that is appealing to children and adolescents is restricted in Canada, though they are likely exposed to such marketing ostensibly directed to adults. Further regulation, monitoring, and compliance assessments are warranted.

Indexed as

AdolescentsAlcohol marketingCannabis marketingChildrenSocial media influencersVaping marketing

Identifiers

PMID41327414
PMCPMC12771875

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.