A recent study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry reveals that adolescents who use social media at a young age are more likely to experiment with substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis.

Findings and Implications

The study, which analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, found that the earlier and more rapidly adolescents use social media, the more likely they are to experiment with substances. Dr. Jason M. Nagata, the lead study author, noted that exposure to targeted marketing and social media posts that portray substance use in a positive light can influence adolescents’ decisions to experiment with substances.

According to the study, adolescents who fell into the categories of increasing social media use had higher odds of substance experimentation compared to their peers who reported little or no social media use. The study also found that over 50% of adolescents reported exposure to alcohol marketing on the internet, and nearly 61% of their peers posted alcohol content on social media.

Guidance for Parents

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents have a family media plan in place, which includes setting boundaries and guiding children on the best practices for social media use. Dr. Nagata emphasized the importance of being proactive and having open communication with children about their social media activity.

Healthy communication gives children more autonomy in decision-making surrounding phone use, and parents should mimic the behaviors they want their children to follow. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends introducing high-quality activities, such as family time or sports, to take back time from phone use and prevent the fear of missing out that many adolescents feel when they aren’t glued to their phones.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.