By: Ann K. Avery, MD, Infectious Disease Physician at MetroHealth Medical Center
Big Tobacco doesn’t just sell cigarettes. They’re also responsible for vapes, flavored nicotine pouches, sleek vape devices, and “heated” tobacco products. From candy-flavored pods to stylish gadgets that fit in your pocket, Big Tobacco, and their global cousins, the transnational tobacco companies (TTCs), are really good at making nicotine irresistible, especially for young people. They have talent for making addictive products look trendy, techy, or harmless to hook a new generation.
Tobacco companies are very intentional about tailoring their marketing to age, neighborhood, and interests to make their products irresistible and approachable. If it can recruit new users now, it will help them secure customers for years to come.
We’re here to help spill the tea😏☕on how Big Tobacco is quietly shaping habits, perceptions, and even culture to trick people into vaping, smoking, and keeping them coming back for more.
1. The lie of “safer” vaping
Cigarette smoking had been declining for decades, with teen smoking hitting record lows in the 2010s. However, Big Tobacco wasn’t going to just sit back. They had to find new ways to lure new smokers. Enter: the e-cigarette. 💨 Vapes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches hit the shelves, marketed as “safer” alternatives to smoking.
Let’s be real: the TTCs totally neglected to mention that e-cigarettes contain nicotine, the main chemical that causes addiction to smoking, vaping, and other ways of using tobacco products.
| Now, about that word, addiction…it involves changes that happen on the cellular level, in the way we feel, experience, and act. Nicotine addiction is a disease, and it’s not something that people “choose” to experience. But, if we take the right steps, it’s possible to prevent getting there in the first place. And that’s what this article is about-- being able to spot what Big Tobacco is doing, and how to avoid falling for their tactics.
For more information, check out some of these other blogs about addiction, smoking and recovery that we’ve covered in the past.🫶 |
2. Flavor masking
Ever notice the rainbow of candy- and fruit-flavored vapes, little cigars, and cigarillos staring at you from store shelves? 🍭🍓🍬 Yeah, that’s no accident. Those sweet, playful flavors are there for a reason.
Flavors like menthol, fruit, and candy are there to mask the harshness of tobacco, making it easier for newbies to start hitting it. It is a very sneaky way to make that first puff easy, fun, and harmless. These flavors make users want to puff more and inhale deeper. Meanwhile, the nicotine hook gets stronger with time, increasing the risk of serious lung injuries like EVALI.
These flavors are there to make vaping cute, and even taste good, while quietly stacking up serious long-term health risks.
3. Cool, sleek products
Speaking of making vaping look cute… these new pocket-sized, discreet vaping devices are designed to slip into small pockets without notice. The small size and colorful designs often mimic pens, highlighters, USBs, lipstick, and earbuds. They hide in plain sight and look harmless.
Techy, stylish, and Instagram-ready, these gadgets are “next-generation” products, sounding futuristic and trendy. This style isn’t accidental. High-tech, shiny, and oh-so-cool, these devices are designed to hook young, tech-savvy people.
This industry is working hard to make you feel like you’re choosing a lifestyle. But, at the end of the day, you’re making a choice about your health, too.
4. Social media and digital influencers
Selling a lifestyle requires visibility—and social media delivers.
For years, traditional marketing was off-limits, but Big Tobacco is great at bending the rules. You might have noticed that they’ve been sliding into your feeds on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Tobacco companies can use paid advertising and sponsored content on social media to bypass traditional bans on tobacco advertising.
They quickly began to team up with influencers to make vaping and other nicotine products look effortless, fun, and totally normal, all while conveniently leaving out any health warnings.
Big Tobacco sponsors parties and runs contests through social campaigns such as #likeus, #decideyourflow, #YouDecide, and #RedIsHere. Their marketing efforts rack up billions of views, spreading the idea that their products are trendy. Meanwhile, young people get blindsided about the health risks.
That’s why it’s powerful to understand what’s behind the content. #NotCool.
5. Marketing the Big Tobacco experience
Their marketing doesn’t just live online, it shows up in real life.
From music festivals to tech conventions, tobacco companies create branded lounges, free charging stations, and other “fun” activations to engage young people. Marketing tactics make experiencing these products and brands part of a social scene.
Funny enough, the laws and rules are lax on who can and can’t advertise at festivals and events. This makes it easier for Big Tobacco to show up and appeal to younger people. Free samples, giveaways, and pop-up experiences make trying these products feel natural—like you’re joining a scene, not making a high-stakes choice.
The big picture: targeted ways to keep you hooked
Big Tobacco goes all in, using a mix of community events, sports, music, social media, and video games to reach young audiences. Advergaming (games that sneak in tobacco branding) normalizes the products while avoiding traditional ad rules. Messaging apps sell products or spread brand familiarity, creating a sense that “everyone’s doing it,” even when it’s a carefully manufactured illusion. They combine flavors, tech, and sleek designs into a single, strategic mix—all aimed at creating a new generation of nicotine-dependent users.
It’s deliberate. It’s calculated. And it’s happening everywhere around you.
Stay informed, stay in control
Once you understand how these products are designed and marketed, it becomes harder to see them the same way. The illusion cracks.
So, the next time a new flavor, a trendy look, or an exciting lifestyle pitch catches your eye, remember that it’s probably not accidental. Big Tobacco is still there in the background.
With the right information, you can decide what works for you. And, just maybe, it might even be easier to imagine choosing differently. 💡
Want a little extra support for making your own choices? The Positive Peers app has wellness tools to help you track your habits and take care of yourself.
👉 Register for the Positive Peers app: https://positivepeers.org/register/
Knowledge is power, and you deserve to feel empowered—not played. 💪