Researchers analyzed data from the 2015 and 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and found that most U.S. middle and high school students overestimate how many of their peers are using e-cigarettes and cigarettes.

Discordance Between Perceived and Actual Tobacco Product Use Prevalence Among US Youth: A Comparative Analysis of Electronic and Regular Cigarettes

During adolescence, youth are susceptible to the influence of social norms and are more likely to engage in certain behaviors deemed to be trendy or popular among their peers, including tobacco product use. This study examined adolescents’ perceived prevalence of e-cigarettes and cigarettes and investigated whether differences in perceived versus actual use is related to tobacco-related attitudes and behaviors. Researchers analyzed data from the 2015 and 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and found that most U.S. middle and high school students overestimate how many of their peers are using e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Education the public about the dangers of youth tobacco product use, including through mass media campaigns, can help denormalize and reduce tobacco product use among our nation’s youth.

Attached below: Tobacco Control article

The article is also available online here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054113