Teenagers who frequently use social media are about three times more likely to try cannabis than those who use it occasionally, new research from the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has found.
Published in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, the study links high social media use with increased impulsivity and risk-taking – behaviours strongly associated with experimenting with substances.
Lead researcher and UniSQ PhD student Getachew Asmare Adella said the findings highlight how patterns of online behaviour may influence real-world decision-making during adolescence.
"What surprised us most was that anxiety and emotional distress did not explain this link," Mr Adella said.
"Instead, outward behaviours such as impulsivity or acting without thinking appeared to play a much bigger role, with almost a quarter of the link likely explained by these behavioural changes.
"These behaviours are closely linked with trying substances. Social media may reinforce these tendencies by exposing teenagers to peer influence, trends, or online content that normalises risk-taking, which could encourage experimentation."
Researchers found that the more often teenagers used social media, the more likely they were to report trying cannabis.
The findings come just months after Australia introduced its under-16 social media ban, adding new evidence to ongoing debates about how online platforms influence young people's behaviour.
Professor Rasheda Khanam, a health economist at UniSQ and senior author of the study, said the findings provide robust evidence on how digital environments can shape adolescent behaviour.
"By applying advanced analytical methods, we were able to better isolate the effect of social media use from other background factors," Professor Khanam said.
"These findings are important for informing policies and interventions aimed at supporting young people's wellbeing."
The study analysed data from 1,766 young people participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, tracking their social media and cannabis use as they moved from adolescence into early adulthood.
To strengthen the analysis, the researchers also used measures such as mobile phone ownership with home internet access to better separate the influence of social media use from other background factors.
Teenagers are spending more time on social media than ever, while cannabis use during adolescence continues to raise public health concerns because of its impact on brain development and long-term health.
"Most young people use social media, but our study shows it's the intensity of use that matters," Mr Adella said.
The researchers emphasised that the goal of the study was not to alarm parents or teenagers, but to better understand how online behaviour may influence real-world outcomes, so that parents, educators and policymakers can support healthier digital environments for young people.
The study also identified several strategies that may help reduce risk among adolescents, including encouraging offline activities, promoting healthy self-regulation, strengthening digital literacy education and supporting open communication between parents and teenagers.
Some limitations of the study included the self-reported nature of the cannabis use and not distinguishing between specific social media platforms or types of online engagement.
The study, 'Causal pathways from social media use to adolescent cannabis use: An instrumental variable mediation analysis of behavioral problems' was co-authored by Getachew Asmare Adella, Professor Rasheda Khanam and Dr Zahirul Hoque from UniSQ, and Dr Dereje Gete from The University of Queensland.
