'I'm sure within 5 minutes I can find someone that will be selling it': qualitative insights into how social media facilitates the sale of banned flavoured tobacco products.

Background: In 2020, Massachusetts became the first state in the USA to restrict the sale of flavoured tobacco products. One demographic group that is disproportionately impacted by flavoured tobacco use is young people. This study explored how Massachusetts' flavour restriction impacted young adults and the ways that flavoured tobacco products were acquired after policy implementation.

Methods: Between January and March 2024, we conducted 15 virtual, semistructured qualitative interviews with young adults (aged 19-29) who were living in Massachusetts and who reported ever using a flavoured tobacco product. The interview guide included questions about personal tobacco use, awareness of the flavour restriction policy and accessing flavoured tobacco products. After interviews were transcribed and coded, themes were identified.

Results: Only 1 out of 15 participants believed that it would be hard for them to acquire flavoured tobacco products with Massachusetts' policy in place. Social sources were a common way participants reported getting flavoured tobacco products and one-third of participants mentioned seeing them sold on social media platforms. Snapchat was the most frequently reported platform; participants described the 'easy' process of connecting with sellers on Snapchat and how 'openly' people listed the products they had for sale.

Conclusions: Despite Massachusetts implementing a comprehensive flavoured tobacco restriction (FTR), young adults report being able to access flavoured tobacco products with ease. Snapchat was the social media platform that participants brought up frequently to find people selling flavoured tobacco products. Preventing the sale of flavoured tobacco products through Snapchat and other social sources will be critical for Massachusetts' FTR to have its intended impact.