Health
Pop culture embraces smoking as ‘cool’ again — and Gen Z youth are watching
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Gen Z — largely comprised of middle- and high-school students — reported the lowest smoking rates on record in 2024, according to CDC and FDA data, but that trend may be in jeopardy.
“Overall, the decline in smoking in the U.S., [down] to about 11.9% of the population overall, is a great public health success story that has occurred over the past 20 years,” Dr. Neil W. Schluger, dean of the School of Medicine of New York Medical College and pulmonologist, told Fox News Digital.
Some experts, however, fear that the “cool factor” could be making a comeback, hooking a new generation on smoking.
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In certain populations, there is reportedly a movement to re-glamorize cigarette smoking, Schluger said.
One Instagram account, @Cigfluencers, posts photos of celebrities with cigarettes to its more than 83,000 followers.
Some experts fear that the “cool factor” could be making a comeback, hooking a new generation on smoking. (iStock)
“SMOKING HOT!” reads a caption for a provocative image of Sabrina Carpenter smoking over a bathroom sink. “Also, Smoking = Hot.”
Additional celebrities who have been open about their cigarette use — and are also pictured on @Cigfluencers — include Ben Affleck, Jeremy Allen White and Natalie Portman, among others.
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“Influencers can be influenced by marketing dollars and can attract younger generations, particularly if the channels used are popular among younger people, such as with social media,” said Judith J. Prochaska, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University in California, whose research focuses on developing effective treatments for tobacco dependence.
Multiple studies show that adolescents and young adults who watch smoking-related content are more likely to begin using tobacco products in the future, but those risks are magnified when they engage with tobacco content on social media.
Gen Z reported the lowest smoking rates on record in 2024, according to CDC and FDA data, though that trend may be in jeopardy. (iStock)
“It’s confusing and a dangerous contradiction for young people who take their cues from pop culture and celebrity influencers, and are especially vulnerable to believe that smoking is more popular than it really is,” said Truth Initiative CEO and President Robin Koval in a news article on the organization’s website.
In a recent opinion piece published in The BMJ, the author wrote that smoking is experiencing a “pop-culture revival” that is an “unwelcome throw-back for public health.”
“This normalization of smoking risks is re-igniting a harmful cultural association between cigarettes and coolness, to which young people are particularly vulnerable,” the article says.
Smoking trends among youth
In the mid- to late-90s, around one-third of high-schoolers smoked cigarettes. That has dropped to less than 3% today, according to the American Lung Association.
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“It is harder to track trends in youth and young adults, because they tend to be less connected to survey efforts, and behaviors can change quickly,” Dr. Daniel J. Boffa, vice chair of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and division chief of thoracic surgery at Yale School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.
“The signals we do have suggest that tobacco smoking rates are much lower in Gen Z than for some earlier generations.”
Boffa noted, however, that around 8% of Gen Z teens use e-cigarettes — “which is important because we really don’t know the long-term effect of e-cigarettes yet, and some young adults will switch over from e-cigarettes to smoking tobacco.”
In the mid- to late-90s, around one-third of high-schoolers smoked cigarettes. That has dropped to less than 3% today, according to the American Lung Association. (iStock)
The U.S. saw a surge in vaping rates in 2019, largely due to the popularity of the brand JUUL, which resonated among youth because of its high nicotine delivery, discreet design, kid-friendly flavors and appealing marketing tactics, Prochaska noted.
E-cigarettes are also on the rise among young adults — in part due to adolescents aging into young adulthood, she added.
Health risks of smoking
Over 90% of long-term smokers started before the age of 18, Boffa said.
“The problem with tobacco smoking in the teenage and young adult years is that the most severe health-related consequences won’t appear for a few decades, making it easier to ignore the warnings,” he warned.
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When someone smokes over time, the inhaled combusted tobacco and paper damage the tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, which facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This damage could lead to chronic obstructive lung disease, according to Mayo Clinic.
The habit can also increase cancer risk, health experts warn. Humans produce random mutated cells that can potentially become cancerous, but a healthy immune system usually eliminates those cells.
When someone smokes, toxic substances enter the body and depress the immune system, giving those mutated cells a chance to grow and become cancerous. (iStock)
When someone smokes, however, toxic substances enter the body and depress the immune system, giving those mutated cells a chance to grow and become cancerous.
Repeated exposure can also increase the risk of oral health problems, pregnancy harms, sexual dysfunction and even mental health effects, Prochaska warned.
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Smoking is also a risk factor for coronary artery disease, aneurysms in the aorta (the main artery of the heart), peripheral vascular disease, and heart attacks and strokes, according to the FDA.
“The reduction in tobacco use in the U.S. is a huge advance in public health, and we should be vigilant not to slide backwards,” Schluger said.
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To maintain this progress, the doctor is a proponent of banning smoking in public places, raising tobacco taxes, increasing funding for cessation programs, and cracking down on illegal advertising and sales to minors.
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Health
Parasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state
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Cases of cyclosporiasis infections are rising across America, with more than 1,000 people diagnosed in Michigan and more than 500 in Ohio.
This is the largest outbreak of its kind in Michigan’s history and one of the country’s largest in years, according to the Associated Press.
The parasitic infection can cause weeks of watery diarrhea. The source of the infections has not been identified and no deaths have been reported.
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Michigan officials announced the outbreak last week following the identification of more than 170 cases since June 22 in the southeastern part of the state. Typically, only about 50 cases are identified in Michigan each year, according to AP.
A cyclospora infection often causes watery, “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says. (iStock)
Similar illnesses have been reported in 28 other states, including neighboring Ohio, where diagnoses have popped up across the Michigan border.
Cases have been climbing since the CDC identified an uptick in infections in mid-June, with illnesses now reported in dozens of states.
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Michigan has now reported more than 1,200 cases and at least 40 hospitalizations. In Ohio, northwest counties have identified more than 500 cases, including at least 306 in Lucas County, according to the latest available local figures.
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Texas has reported at least 48 cases, and illnesses have been identified in numerous other states as health officials investigate the source.
The hallmark symptom of a cyclospora infection is watery, often “explosive” diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says.
Other symptoms of cyclosporiasis include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss. (iStock)
Other symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss.
The official outbreak season for the parasite runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, a window where warmer temperatures historically coincide with a spike in infections, according to the CDC.
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While the infection can sometimes clear up on its own, it frequently requires antibiotics. The CDC advises anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.
The CDC, alongside the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials, is actively investigating several multistate clusters, but they have yet to find a cause behind the spread.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before eating, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted. (iStock)
Past infections have reportedly been linked to consuming contamined fruits or vegetables, or being exposed to contaminated irrigation water.
Fresh produce should be washed thoroughly before being eaten, although this may not eliminate the risk of infection, the AP noted.
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Michigan officials recommend purchasing salad mixes or whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-washed, bagged lettuce. Remove two to three leaves from the outer layer of the lettuce head before washing and cook vegetables when possible.
Fox News Digital’s Khloe Quill contributed to this report.
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Washington, DC – GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have become a prevalent part of American healthcare, and the current administration is getting behind the movement.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair in the nation’s capital on July 6, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz voiced his support for the use of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, such as Ozempic, for appropriate uses.
“I’m a fan of GLP-1 drugs when used correctly,” he said. “They do help people who are overweight lose weight quite effectively. They’re not a replacement for diet and exercise, but they might jumpstart the system so it’s easier for you to use healthier tactics.”
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This is especially helpful for those who may have trouble moving due to joint pain or are experiencing internal dysfunction, Oz said.
Certain GLP-1 drugs are covered by Medicare for overweight candidates with certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and Oz projected the benefits will continue to benefit taxpayers.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is pictured in Washington, D.C., at the Great American State Fair, where he spoke about federal health policy. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
“We believe these are so effective in reducing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes that they’ll actually save money for the federal taxpayer, because [they’re] going to make you healthy enough that you don’t have to consume health services,” Oz said.
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“We think about 70% of all the money we spend on healthcare is caused by chronic conditions, and obesity is the No. 1 driver of all that, so it’s a smart decision.”
Oz recently announced the launch of the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, which will allow more seniors to access GLP-1 drugs for only $50 a month if they meet qualifying health criteria and receive prior authorization from a doctor.
The doctor expressed support for broadening affordable access to GLP-1 medications for Americans. (iStock)
“There are a lot of overweight people who don’t have high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions, so they don’t get access to the drug normally,” he said. “We want them to have the ability to use it as well.”
Although these access shifts could boost Americans’ overall health — and in some cases could be lifesaving — Oz noted that there is “no silver bullet” when it comes to these medications.
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“I love the fact that the innovation that’s coming out of pharmaceutical companies is allowing us to save lives and make lives better,” he said. “But the real secret to longevity is eating right, exercising, sleeping, dealing with the stress of your life, finding some purpose in your existence [and] realizing you have agency over the future.”
“These are things that your mom would have told you [and that] you don’t need a doctor to be emphasizing.”
Medicating appropriately, combined with eating right, exercising and staying connected with others, can help make health goals attainable, the doctor said. (iStock)
While GLP-1s may not be a fix-all, combining these medications with foundational health practices “makes a lot of sense,” Oz said.
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“I don’t want people being fat-shamed … I don’t want you feeling guilty that you’re gaining weight even though everyone else around you seems to have figured it out,” he said. “It’s not that simple — our set points for hunger are different. We have different things going on in our lives.”
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“But if you realize how precious you are — the temple of the soul is so valuable. It’s the greatest gift your parents ever gave you, and you take advantage of every tool out there to make it work … which includes using medications when appropriate. That, to me, is MAHA.”
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