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Heidelberg – More than 40 percent of the most famous German rap musicians advertise e-cigarettes or shisha tobacco on social media. In doing so, they circumvent the existing advertising ban, as the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg found after an analysis of social media data (Tobacco Control, 2024, DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-058683).

The experts called for better monitoring of compliance with existing laws, as the products marketed primarily appeal to a young target group. They stressed that it is important to protect children and young people from the health risks of tobacco and similar products.

German rappers reach millions of views on music platforms. The musicians use social media platforms such as Instagram, Tiktok or YouTube to market their music and other products.

According to the report, influencer marketing is used to advertise shisha tobacco and e-cigarettes, primarily targeting people under 20. According to the DKFZ, these products pose significant health risks and may not be advertised on the Internet according to the EU directive and the Tobacco Products Act.

The research team examined the posts of the 60 most popular German rappers on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube and X last January. The artists have millions of followers on social media.

26 of the 60 musicians market shisha tobacco or e-cigarettes. The products usually bear the names of the artists, who are often depicted on the packaging as a photo or cartoon character. Flavors are often advertised with images of healthy fruits, suggesting harmlessness.

Most products are marketed via their own social media profiles and are often linked to online shops. It is often not clear whether these are the artists’ own brands and whether and how they are involved in the companies.

The study shows that the existing advertising restrictions for tobacco and e-cigarettes “are not consistently monitored and implemented by the authorities in Germany,” explained Katrin Schaller from the DKFZ. In addition, the social media platforms do not adequately implement their own rules, according to which tobacco may not be advertised. © afp/aerzteblatt.de