Digital ads take on vaping: can a scroll change a habit?
NCT ID NCT04867668
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether anti-vaping and anti-smoking ads on social media can prevent tobacco use in young adults ages 18-24. Researchers randomly assigned 2,800 participants to see different amounts of digital ads and measured their vaping and smoking habits over 30 days. The goal is to find out if online campaigns can effectively discourage tobacco use in this age group.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Anti-vaping and anti-smoking digital advertising
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that social media ads are an effective way to prevent young adults from starting to vape or smoke.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed study, but results may not apply to all young adults since participants were from a specific online panel. The effect may also depend on how much ad exposure people actually get.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20052, United States
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