As it turns out, people who turn to social media to help them quit smoking are more likely to succeed than those who opt for more traditional methods.
Young adults who use social media to quit smoking are twice as successful in their efforts as those who use a more traditional method, according to the University of Waterloo study.
The study compared the success of the social media-based campaign Break It Off with Smokers' Helpline, a telephone hotline for young adults looking to quit smoking.
After three months in the program, 32 per cent of smokers who used Break It Off apps and web tools had quit smoking, compared to 14 per cent of their peers who used the telephone-based support.
lead author Bruce Baskerville said that results suggest that the creators of public health campaigns need to evaluate how they use social media channels and social networks to improve health, especially with regards to younger demographics.
The study is published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research.