In history, smoking has held various meanings. A few decades ago, cigarettes were part of a fine lifestyle, not just about the substance itself. That meaning carried through the act, which was proof of power, rebellion, and freedom.
It was well illustrated in movies. For example, Hollywood’ss greatest successes had characters smoking in their own ways, often reflecting the actors’ own styles.
It all came together with the mass popularization of television and cinema as forms of social communication, right after World War II. Back then, the association of cigarettes with the lifestyle shown in movies was easily consolidated. In fact, it isn’t a coincidence that one of the biggest cigarette brands in the world is called exactly Hollywood.
The time might have passed, the studies might have improved, and the image of cigarettes as a harm to health might have grown stronger, but the association between smoking and lifestyle did not disappear, it simply changed its stage. If cigarettes once found their image in Hollywood, what gives nicotine its image today?
Smoking to belong
Vapes didn’t invent the idea of smoking as a way to belong to a certain group, place, or even aesthetic. Since then, the cigarette has been a huge way of showing the same ideal to others – or, better, the same ideal of not being a regular one.
The turning point that wins over younger generations is the shift in perspective regarding cigarettes. Vapes are a modern device, one that represents a certain status and a “cool” vibe, different than the “adult cigarettes”. Besides that, it still offers the same elements as the “old-fashioned” one, remaining the construction of an identity, but in a more young way – at least it is what the newer generation thinks.
In a conversation with psychologist Luciana Zeidan, it is possible to understand many factors that influence young people to experiment with nicotine nowadays. “The repetition of behaviors exhibited by adults they admire, peer pressure and influence, the need for self-affirmation and the search for one’s own identity,” she points out.
With all that, it is impossible to deny that the need to experience a sense of belonging is on their minds. “The exposure, in person or virtually, to people using vapes can normalize the behavior and associate it with fun, freedom, style, and status,” she complements.
If classic propaganda does not exist anymore, how is the habit consolidated?
You hardly ever see vaping advertisements that explicitly suggest you should use the product. No, you probably won’t find someone openly saying, “you should vape”, but you will find the habit normalized throughout society.
Social media has a huge impact on young people, and there, vaping is easily included as a natural part of the construction of a life. It can be shown in videos where people sell an image of being happy and successful while using the device, as well as in parties and certain lifestyles.
“Social media should be a matter of great responsibility and caution; however, what we observe is precisely this exposure associated with freedom, autonomy, and fun”, Luciana mentions.
From belonging to dependency
“Young people may discover that vaping produces a momentary sensation of relaxation or relief”
Luciana Zeidan, psychologist
Just like other addictions, this one does not differ in terms of harmful neurobiological effects. “Nicotine activates the brain’s reward system, and this sensation is interpreted as pleasure, relaxation, and tension relief,” she says.
This effect makes young people tend to seek out those sensations with increased frequency. Due to this, they might relegate responsibilities to the background and even alter their appetite and sleep quality, “particularly given that we are dealing with a brain that is still developing and highly vulnerable,” she adds.
Most of the time, vape users tend to believe that they are in control, wrongly mistaking “joy” for dependency. While it may initially stem from curiosity or a desire to belong or rebel, for instance, nicotine eventually comes into play. It gets even worse when it becomes linked to emotional regulation and maintaining social connections.
Even by representing a lot of elements that sync with youth, vapes follow the same logic as the well-known cigarettes. It all reflects social structures and influence, not leaving belonging aside.
Time might pass, but the main aspects that dictate each generation only transform themselves into something new.
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The article above was edited by Isabelle Bignardi.
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