Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Social media has taken the online world by storm.
From grandma updating her Facebook status to middle school girls sending each other Snapchats, everyone uses social media these days. While there has been plenty of talk about how people have become addicted to these sites, could your child be addicted to social media for more than just the likes? Believe it or not, buying drugs on social media is a new and dangerous trend.
The Rise of Drug Dealers Using Social Media
While the dark web has been used for drug deals since almost the inception of the internet, drug dealers have been capitalizing on the new market created by social media. An international survey of drug users who have bought drugs online found that 76% said they regularly used Snapchat to buy drugs and 21% used Instagram.1 That is a lot of people turning to social media sites over the more complicated and traditional dark web techniques.But how does someone even know how to find a drug dealer on social media? According to many people, it is not that hard. Buying drugs on social media was reported as a more convenient and quicker way of buying drugs by survey participants. Some even claimed that they didn’t believe that would be able to buy certain drugs any other way.1
Even more alarming, just using social media regularly can increase the likelihood of young people using and abusing drugs. One study found that regular teen users of social media were three times more likely to drink, two times more likely to smoke marijuana, and five times more likely to buy tobacco.2 Even if someone isn’t actively selling drugs on social media, just posting things that glamorize drug or alcohol use is leading to problems. These bad habits as young adults can quickly spin out of control and develop into an addiction that requires a formal drug partial hospitalization program in order for the addicted person to recover.
What To Do If You Think Your Child Is Buying Drugs On Social Media
From finding dealers on Snapchat to getting cocaine from some guy on Facebook, this new trend is just one more thing that you need to be concerned with as a parent. If you suspect that your young adult is turning to social media drug dealers, you should:- Limit their social media use
- Monitor their online activity
- Set up a parental blocker on their computer
- Look for warning signs of addiction
- Talk to them about the dangers of drugs as well as being safe online
- Make sure they know that they can talk to you about anything
Do you think your child is addicted to drugs? If so, then you need to get them help immediately. Our Pompano drug rehab works with young adults on overcoming their substance abuse problems and moving forward with their lives.
Get your child the help they deserve. Call us at Banyan Pompano today at 888-280-4763.
Sources:
- Royal Holloway University of London - #Drugsforsale – The rise of the social media drug dealer
- Washington Post - Social media may make kids more likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, study says
Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa is the National Director of Digital Marketing and is responsible for a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. All articles have been written by Alyssa and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne.
