New Truth Initiative Research Finds Smoking’s Social Appeal Has Risen Among Young People

Shifting attitudes toward cigarettes among 15- to 24-year-olds raise concerns as tobacco imagery permeates entertainment and popular culture

New Truth Initiative survey data suggest cigarette smoking’s social appeal is rising among young people, with more teens and young adults describing smoking as “cool” and more associating it with fitting in over recent years. The findings raise concerns that changing attitudes combined with a re-emergence of tobacco imagery across entertainment, social media, fashion, and celebrity pop culture could undermine decades of progress in reducing deadly cigarette use.

While federal data sources show current cigarette smoking has remained low among young people in recent years, the noticeable increase of tobacco use in pop culture has prompted many to worry whether that could lead to a reversal in cigarette smoking trends among young people. At the same time, a growing number of young people are dual using cigarettes alongside newer nicotine products, such as vapes or nicotine pouches, potentially compounding health risks and deepening nicotine dependence.

“After decades of progress driving youth cigarette use to historic lows, we need to ask why entertainment, fashion, and celebrity culture are once again making smoking look cool, rebellious, or nostalgic,” said Kathy Crosby, CEO and president of Truth Initiative. “Combustible cigarettes remain the deadliest form of tobacco. These findings serve as a warning sign that young people may be increasingly associating cigarettes with social acceptance.”

Smoking Is Increasingly Associated with Social Acceptance

Survey findings indicate that cigarettes are gaining social appeal among young people, with growing percentages viewing smoking as cool, acceptable among friends and a way to fit in.

• More young people view smoking as socially acceptable or appealing (2019-2026):
  • The share of 18- to 24-year-olds who said, “smoking makes people look cool,” increased from 17% to 25%.
  • The share of 18- to 24-year-olds who said, “it is not a big deal if their friends smoke,” increased from 38% to 47%.
• More young people associate smoking with a sense of belonging (2017-2026):
  • Among 18- to 24-year-olds, the share who said, “smoking helps people fit in,” increased from 14% to 21%.
  • Among 15- to 24-year-olds, the share nearly doubled from 12% to 23%.
  • Among 15- to 17-year-olds, the share increased more than fivefold, from 4% to 21%. The shift among this age demographic is concerning as they approach college and formative years when the perceived importance of fitting in is often heightened.

While the findings signal softening perceptions rather than changes in smoking behavior, the data underscore the need to address trends that may make cigarettes seem socially desirable.

Tobacco Imagery Reinforces Smoking’s Place in Popular Culture

The findings come against a backdrop of tobacco imagery from Kylie Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover shoot and Sabrina Carpenter’s cigarette-themed photos in Interview Magazine to smoking on stage during the latest Video Music Awards. This widespread visibility can carry serious implications for public health, given research showing that exposure to smoking imagery can influence young people to start using deadly cigarettes.

Underscoring tobacco’s continued presence in some of the entertainment industry’s most celebrated content, research from NORC at the University of Chicago in collaboration with Truth Initiative found that 51% of the top box office films of 2024 featured tobacco imagery, up from 41% in 2023. A separate Truth Initiative analysis found that eight of the 10 Best Picture Oscar nominees in 2026 featured tobacco imagery. 

“There is nothing iconic about turning nicotine addiction into a fashion statement,” said Crosby. “Cigarettes kill nearly half a million Americans every year, and nicotine addiction can begin with what looks like a social moment. The entertainment industry should use its influence thoughtfully rather than helping to stylize addiction.”

Protecting Progress Through Prevention and Quitting Support

Countering smoking’s growing social appeal requires prevention efforts that address the pressures and cultural messages young people encounter, alongside accessible, proven quitting support.

EX Program by Truth Initiative, developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, offers personalized quitting support for all forms of nicotine through interactive text messages, online tools, and a supportive community. Research has shown that using EX Program can increase the odds of quitting by up to 40%.

“We cannot afford to see hard-won declines in youth cigarette smoking reversed,” said Crosby. “Protecting those gains means ensuring young people understand the serious risks behind the images they see and that they have the tools to build a future free from nicotine addiction.”