By Dr. Michael Walsh
A recent forecast by Euromonitor International suggests that cigarette consumption in Saudi Arabia will hold steady this year. The research firm also predicts that the market for vapes, heated tobacco, and smokeless tobacco is about to explode, quintupling in size by 2028.[1] Given that up to one in three young Saudi adults is thought to use e-cigarettes, this comes as no surprise.
In short, smoking remains stubbornly popular in the Kingdom, as does vaping among young adults. Bending the curve will require the adoption and skillful deployment of social media influencer techniques that better align with how our youth absorb information.
The good news is that any such effort can – and should – build on the laudable stop-smoking efforts ongoing in the Kingdom. Since launching its first anti-smoking campaign in the early 2000s, the Kingdom has banned smoking in public places, imposed a 100% duty on cigarettes, and set up more than 1,000 smoking cessation clinics across the country.[2] Last year, the Public Investment Fund launched Badael, which sells Saudi-made nicotine pouches and is developing other tobacco alternatives for smokers. These policies, among many others, have been overwhelmingly successful.
The challenge now is to augment and build on these efforts, harness the newest advocacy models, and help 1 million Saudis stop smoking by 2028, as the Kingdom aspires to do.
Social media influencers are at the core of any such advocacy model because, simply, they wield tremendous influence. Young Arabs, for example, say they would rather become a famous influencer than a celebrity chef, fashion model, entrepreneur, or indeed anything else.[3] Saudi Arabian citizens rank at the top of global countries in YouTube penetration (4th), and Snapchat reaches over 90 percent of the Saudi population between ages 13 and 34.[4], [5]
Importantly, this online engagement isn’t limited to idle pursuits. Research published by the Ministry of Health has found that Saudis are increasingly using social media for health-related purposes[6] – which presents a powerful opportunity. This is consistent with more general findings that social media can be used as a powerful tool to support public health campaigns,[7] drown out noise from opponents, and bring about positive changes in health behaviours.[8], [9]
A fascinating case study from Hungary underscores the point. It examined the reach of and engagement with anti-tobacco videos posted by András Kulja, a TikTok health influencer. Kulja, who had a relatively modest 150,000 followers at the time, posted five videos outlining the dangers of tobacco products and vapes, three of which were sponsored posts paid for by a Hungarian anti-smoking agency. The videos together attracted 4.1 million views and were either liked, commented on, or shared by about one in ten viewers.[10] That seems like a good return on investment.
Similarly, earlier this year, Australia launched an influencer-led social media campaign to spread the word among the country’s youth about the harms of vaping.[11] The campaign featured 10 influencers who are particularly popular with 14 to 20-year-olds, two of whom shared a real-life story about becoming addicted to, and then quitting, vapes. Emotive and highly personal stories such as these are key to reaching the TikTok generation.
One can readily envision influencers in the Kingdom who are incentivized and equipped to carry anti-smoking and anti-vaping campaigns that target young Saudis. Support from social media influencers would help to further the Kingdom’s aims by reaching out to a demographic that is notoriously hard to reach. Influencer-led campaigns would help connect Saudi youth to smoking cessation clinics and public health information about the risks of tobacco and vaping. These campaigns could also help to create self-perpetuating social media communities that encourage young smokers and vapers to quit and support them through that journey.
To ensure maximum effectiveness, however, the campaigns need guardrails – a social media ‘free for all’ (even with the best of intentions) will have a dilutive impact, at best. Thus, Saudi healthcare policymakers should develop robust guidelines for influencer partnerships, promote media literacy, and in general ensure the platforms are accurately conveying information. As one researcher summarized it, “Despite the fact that [social media campaigns] are able to be a positive force in the world, they have to be monitored and regulated to avoid a negative impact on society.” [12]
Influencers are modern-day gatekeepers in the truest sense. They impact captive audiences of millions of youngsters who are very hard to reach through traditional media or engagement models. Designed and carried out effectively, influencer-led public health campaigns to stop smoking could have a powerful impact in the Kingdom and bring us closer to realizing the government’s ambitious 2028 cessation goal.
About the Author
Dr. Michael Walsh is the Chief Executive of Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), bringing over 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership. Since assuming his role in 2020, Dr. Walsh has been pivotal in driving significant organizational growth and transformation, focusing on a people-centric approach, clinical excellence, and strategic business insight.
Prior to joining JHAH, Dr. Walsh was the Chief Executive of Cabrini Australia for 11 years, where he led growth in key areas such as teaching, research, and fundraising. His leadership experience extends internationally, with prominent roles including Chief Executive of the South East London NHS Strategic Health Authority in the U.K. and Chief Executive of The Alfred in Melbourne, Australia. Additionally, Dr. Walsh served as Vice President of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators for eight years.
References:
- https://www.semafor.com/article/11/15/2024/cigarette-consumption-grows-in-the-gulf-defying-global-trends
- https://www.emro.who.int/tfi/news/saudi-arabia-offering-help-to-quit-tobacco-use.html
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majority-of-arab-youth-say-social-media-addiction-is-leading-to-decline-in-mental-well-being-15th-annual-asdaa-bcw-arab-youth-survey-301952104.htm
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1219589/youtube-penetration-worldwide-by-country/
- https://www.arabnews.com/node/2548521/media
- https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/Ministry/Projects/Knowledge-Management/Documents/Saudi-Experience-Health-Social-Media.pdf
- E.g.: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385103310_The_Impact_of_Social_Media_on_Public_Health_Communication
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7108283/ https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/87491 - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2056305120912475
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953623008298
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377872931_Could_TikTok_be_a_promising_platform_for_anti-tobacco_communication_-_Experiences_from_Hungary
- https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/next-steps-of-vaping-reform-and-launch-of-influencer-led-youth-vaping-campaign?language=en
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949916X24001026
