Exposure to tobacco and nicotine product advertising: Associations with perceived prevalence of use among college students.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between exposure to tobacco marketing and perceptions of peer tobacco use among college students.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 5,767 undergraduate students from 19 colleges/universities in the State of Texas.

METHODS

Students completed an online survey, in the spring of 2016, that assessed past 30 day exposure to e-cigarette, cigar, smokeless tobacco, and traditional cigarette advertising across multiple marketing channels, past 30 day use of each product, and perceived prevalence of peer use. Multi-level linear regression models were run to examine the associations between exposure to tobacco advertising and perceptions of peer tobacco use controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, use and school.

RESULTS

Greater exposure to advertising was associated with greater perceived prevalence of peer use.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the normative effects of advertising on perceived peer tobacco use, college tobacco initiatives should include descriptive norms education to counteract inaccurate perceptions.