Modern society, especially those groups of adolescents, are now suffering not only from drug abuse but from social media addiction as well. Evidently, these two major issues affecting the generation today are interrelated. Social media content exposing drug consumption can be regarded as a risk factor that can potentially encourage people to try drugs (Levinthal, 2014). As the amount of drug-related content on social media platforms is growing rapidly, many of these platforms now tend to introduce user policy guidelines, which hide or even block such publications. Although many people do not see any threat in sharing the content of them consuming both licit and illicit drugs, the major issue concerns celebrities who make drug-related content. Serving as role models for millions of followers all over the world, in such a way, they declare that drug use is safe and absolutely normal in the context of today’s society. Hence, people who admire them are subconsciously predisposed to try drugs to become closer to their role models, who, on the other hand, do not realize the level of responsibility they have for their actions.
Another critical issue with drug-related content is the absolute romanticizing of drug use. Social media users do not often post the implications of the consumption or the process of drug withdrawal. According to the statistics, active social media users, especially adolescents, are more likely to try drugs because of the influence they see on the platforms (“The influence of social media on teen drug use,” 2020). Thus, social media platforms definitely contribute to the misuse of various drugs by romanticizing their consumption and making “social drug use” acceptable among users.
References
Levinthal, C.F. (2014). Drugs, Behavior and Modern Society. London, UK: Pearson Education.
The influence of social media on teen drug use. (2020). Web.