The findings advocate for the promotion of healthy online habits for young people, researchers said, rather than 'blanket bans and over-protection'
Spending a lot of time on social media could increase the chances of teenagers taking up smoking or vaping, according to a study.
The team surveyed 8,987 teenagers for the study, which has been published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Some 28.9% of those who responded were smokers, while 23.7% vaped. Some 8.2% of the teenagers polled used both.READ MORE: Seaside village 'with no sea' used to be gateway to another country
They were also more than three times more likely to vape when compared to their peers who used social media for one hour to less than 30 minutes a day. "Educators, health professionals, and care givers must enhance their social media literacy to prepare teens for the realities of the social media landscape. We need to model healthy online habits, instead of resorting to blanket bans and over-protection, to help young people navigate the digital world."
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