“While youth vaping is down, on-screen tobacco imagery threatens to undo that progress,” said Dr. Jessica Rath, senior vice president of the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute. “Young people deserve content and on-screen resources that support their well-being — not imagery that makes them more likely to start smoking or vaping.”

“Widespread tobacco imagery, often portrayed as edgy, rebellious, or cool, risks normalizing nicotine use and slowing the current positive momentum in prevention,” the report said. “In 2023 alone, nearly 17 million young people were exposed to streaming shows that featured tobacco. Research from Truth Initiative shows that the more young people see tobacco imagery while binge-watching, the more likely they are to report intentions to vape or smoke in the future.”

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