Experts Warn: Social Media May Encourage Children to Use Drugs

- A new study published in "The American Journal of Psychiatry" this week focused on how earlier and faster use of social media by teenagers increases the likelihood of their experimenting with substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. It is noted that the minimum age for children to use social media platforms is 13 years, yet about 40% of teenagers aged 8 to 12 use these platforms.

Experts believe that there are many factors that may lead to substance use among teenagers, including friends and family environment. Although these results show a correlation between the two, they do not prove that early social media use actually causes experimentation with these substances.

Nagata, the lead researcher in the study and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, identified four patterns of social media use among teenagers aged 9 to 16. Based on data from the "Cognitive Brain Development in Adolescents" study collected over four years, Nagata classified teenagers into four groups: the early starters group included children who began using social media at age 9, while the late starters group included those who began using their phones at age 11.

Dr. Courtney Blackwell, an assistant professor in medical social sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, pointed to the strength of longitudinal data that tracked the same variables over time. She noted a lack of this type of data in general research on teenagers' use of social media and its effects.

The results showed that teenagers belonging to three categories of increased use were more likely to experiment with drugs compared to their peers who reported very low or no use. The study also showed that the highest and earliest users, those spending three hours or more daily on social media, had about 17 times higher odds of trying cannabis and 14 times higher odds of trying tobacco compared to children with limited or no use.

Nagata said: "When you are on social media and are exposed to targeted marketing related to drugs, or see posts that portray drug use positively, all of this may increase the likelihood of teenagers trying them." The risks of content. Nagata pointed to the types of content on social media that may influence the decision to try drugs, especially at a young age.

More than 50% of teenagers reported being exposed to alcohol advertisements online, while about 61% said that people their age post alcohol-related content on social media. He added that social media largely portrays drug use positively, such as young people enjoying themselves at college or attractive advertisements for alcoholic products, explaining that "people are less likely to share the negative consequences that occur, so teenagers may get a biased picture of what they see."

This positive content may lead to the formation of positive perceptions about drugs. Relying on data from the cognitive adolescent brain development study itself, Nagata found that teenagers who had a positive view of cannabis were more likely to try it.

A review of 73 studies, including content analysis on social media, showed that about 77% of drug-related content was positive. Blackwell said: "We know that content is important, whether positive or negative, when we think about social media and whether it affects children's behavior or their mental health or any other outcomes."

Alcohol advertisements occupy part of the advertising space on social media, as one study found that about 40,000 ads were posted on Facebook and Instagram in one year in Australia. Nagata pointed out that "there are studies showing that even if these ads are not directly 'targeted', it remains somewhat questionable," adding: "I believe that teenagers' exposure to alcohol or drug-related ads on social media is relatively common."

The matter starts at home. The American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics call for a balance between setting boundaries and guiding children towards best practices for social media use. In all discussions related to technology and social media, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends establishing a "family media plan."

The Academy has also developed a simplified approach to guide social media use, known as the "five C's." These elements include: and Nagata commented, "Don't wait for a problem to arise.

It is important to be proactive if your child is going to use social media." Blackwell added that healthy communication gives children more independence in making decisions about phone use.

Instead of imposing restrictions without explanation, paying attention to what children are watching and discussing the type of content they follow is more beneficial. Parents also need to model the behaviors they want their children to adopt, so that the rules applied to children are similar to those applied to other family members.

Blackwell said, "If one parent is on social media all day, cutting off communication with their child, you can expect the child to mimic this behavior." Nagata and the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommended looking for ways to reclaim lost time due to phone use by incorporating high-quality activities that include everyone, such as family time or exercising.

This can help reduce the fear of missing out (FOMO) that many teenagers feel when they are not glued to their phones, and it offers an alternative that distracts them from social media. Blackwell said, "This comprehensive family approach, which includes the child, their opinions, and communication, is a very effective strategy to ensure everyone's participation."