U.S. digital tobacco marketing and youth: A narrative review

We describe findings from peer-reviewed articles on digital tobacco marketing (DTM) using U.S. data related to youth, including research that examines use of age restrictions, DTM exposure and engagement, and associated tobacco use. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost in May 2019 and May 2020 for published English language peer-reviewed articles examining DTM that were published from January 2016 to May 2020. Inclusion coding occurred in three stages. The first search identified 519 articles; 167 were coded for inclusion. The second search identified 189 articles; 67 were coded for inclusion. Two coders then assessed whether the included articles mentioned youth (age 18 and younger) or age restrictions in the method and results sections of the full text. Ultimately, 47 articles were included in this review. A codebook was developed and tested through training. Each article was coded for age restrictions, youth exposure to DTM, youth engagement with DTM, and youth tobacco use associated with DTM exposure or engagement. The studies reviewed indicate that DTM on social media was infrequently age-restricted and the stringency of age restriction varied by tobacco product, site owner, and channel. Youth reported being exposed to DTM frequently via the Internet. While youth reported less frequently engaging with DTM compared to being exposed, engagement increased over time. DTM exposure and engagement were associated with tobacco product use. The studies reviewed document an association between DTM exposure and engagement and future tobacco use; thus, DTM may be contributing to the youth tobacco epidemic.