Social Media Posts Linked to Increased Teen Substance Use

Teens who see social media posts about cannabis or e-cigarettes are more likely to later start using those substances or report using them in the past month, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. The researchers, from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, surveyed over 7,600 teens and found that exposure to e-cigarette content on social media contributes to the risk of using e-cigarettes with other substances, such as cannabis. The study also revealed that influencer content on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, plays a significant role in promoting teen substance use.

Key Takeaways:

• Teens who frequently saw cannabis posts on TikTok were more likely to have started using e-cigarettes, cannabis, or both.
• Students who had frequently seen e-cigarette posts on TikTok were more likely to have started using cannabis or started dual use of both cannabis and e-cigarettes.
• The link between e-cigarette posts and cannabis use is a "cross-substance association" that may be explained by the similar appearance of nicotine and cannabis vaping devices.
• Influencer posts on social media, particularly on TikTok, play a significant role in promoting teen substance use.
• Teens who saw e-cigarette or cannabis posts from influencers were more likely than their peers to have used cannabis in the past month.
• Those who saw e-cigarette posts from friends were more likely to have been dual users of cannabis and e-cigarettes in the past month.
• Those who saw cannabis posts from friends were more likely to have used cannabis in the past month or to have been dual users of cannabis and e-cigarettes.

Statistics:

• 22.9% of students reported frequently seeing e-cigarette posts on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.
• 12% of students frequently saw cannabis posts on these platforms.
• In the first survey, which included 4,232 students, follow-up with the students revealed that teens who had frequently seen cannabis posts, but had never tried cannabis or e-cigarettes, were more likely to have started using e-cigarettes, cannabis, or both.
• The study followed over 7,600 teens and found a significant association between exposure to e-cigarette content on social media and increased risk of using e-cigarettes with other substances.

Sources:

• JAMA Network Open
• Keck School of Medicine of USC
• National Institutes of Health
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)