Online trends on social media show smoking and nicotine products are having a cultural resurgence among Gen Z.Kin Cheung/Associated Press
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Smoking cigarettes is cool again. Apparently. Social media and accounts online are raving about the habit, turning it into a trend with images from celebrities and appealing to Gen Z. But this rebirth in popularity runs counter to widespread anti-smoking campaigns warning about the dangers of getting addicted and the health effects of cigarettes. Where did this cultural resurgence for smoking and vaping come from?
Dr. Robert Schwartz is a senior scientist at the Centre for Mental Health and Addictions and the executive director of the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit. His research focuses on public health policy and tobacco control. He’ll talk about smoking rates in Canada and how a pop culture trend may be obscuring the real threat.
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