Study: Teen Substance Abuse Linked to Social Media

In a typical day, more than 17 million teenagers nationwide are using it, and many have made dozens of friends in the process. But who knew social networking, a medium that has revolutionized how people relate to each other, is leading them to use drugs more?

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, that's who.

Its recent study found that the problem had grown among teens ages 12-17 who had been engaged by "pictures on Facebook, Myspace or other social networking sites of kids getting drunk, passed out or using drugs."

Earlier:

After performing two surveys on more than 2,000 teens and a survey of more than 500 of their parents, the results show that teens who use social networking websites are five times likelier to use tobacco, three times likelier to drink alcohol and twice as likely to smoke marijuana.

The findings don't surprise Kate Mahoney, executive director for PEER Services, whose Evanston and Glenview centers provide substance abuse treatment and prevention for youth and adults across the North Shore.

“If you look at something like Facebook, which was initially launched for an older population,” Mahoney said, “you saw more college students on that website. Over time, it became more popular with high school students who had initially gravitated more to some of the other social media websites.”

From 2010-11, her center received more than $200,000 in funding from Evanston, New Trier Township, Northfield Township and the Wilmette Youth Commission, among other government bodies. 

'Tune In, Drop Out'

Though social networking has played a role in furthering drug abuse among teens, as the study found, Mahoney argued it's not the only cultural medium to do so. And the study, which also explored TV viewing habits among teens, backs her up.

Thirty-two percent of the teens surveyed watch reality shows like Jersey Shore, Teen Mom or 16 and Pregnant, according to the study. Compared to teens who don't watch the “suggestive” programming, teens who usually watch one or more each week are twice as likely to use tobacco and nearly twice as likely to drink alcohol.

“Sadly, I think in our culture that we've created a myth that alcohol is connected to having fun,” Mahoney said. “When, in essence, it's very much connected to people being very narrow, having accidents and sometimes loosing their lives....”

What Mahoney has learned as a social worker for more than 20 years is straightforward and based more on hard science than morality. It's what guides her decisions when it comes to drug use among people, old and young, and she feels it should guide parents' decisions too.

“Be honest, direct and make sure [parents] tell their teens what they expect them not to do,” Mahoney advised. “Parents struggle with sending a direct message about alcohol and drug use, but that's what young people need: a clear message...."

"We know more now," she added.

Patch asked Mahoney if teens nowadays were drinking alcohol more than in the past. She responded in the negative, saying the evidence and her observations do not point to that conclusion.

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