More Social Media Time Was Linked to Higher Odds of Teen Substance Use, Including Marijuana
Teens spending 30 minutes to 3 hours daily on social media had the highest odds of later alcohol and marijuana use, while a dose-response pattern emerged for tobacco.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 4,769 adolescents followed over multiple years, social media time predicted later substance use. For marijuana and alcohol, the relationship was curvilinear: teens spending 30 minutes to 3 hours daily had the highest odds. For tobacco, the relationship was dose-dependent. For nonmedical drugs, only 3-6 hours daily showed a significant association (nearly 2x odds).
Key Numbers
4,769 adolescents followed from Wave 2 through Wave 5. Over 75% spent at least 30 minutes daily on social media. The 30-minute to 3-hour group had the highest odds for alcohol and marijuana use. The 3-6 hour group had nearly 2x odds for nonmedical drug use. A dose-response pattern was observed for tobacco.
How They Did This
Longitudinal analysis of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study following 4,769 adolescents aged 12-17 who reported no substance use at baseline across multiple waves. Generalized Estimating Equation models adjusted for demographic and time-varying covariates.
Why This Research Matters
This is one of the first studies to quantify the link between daily social media time and subsequent substance use in a large US adolescent cohort, and the curvilinear pattern for marijuana use suggests moderate social media users may face higher risk than heavy users.
The Bigger Picture
As both social media use and cannabis accessibility increase among teens, understanding how digital environments relate to substance initiation could inform prevention programs that meet young people where they spend their time.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported social media time and substance use may be imprecise. The PATH study may not capture all social media platforms equally. The curvilinear finding for marijuana needs replication and mechanistic explanation.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why does the marijuana association peak at moderate rather than heavy social media use?
- ?Does the content viewed on social media matter more than time spent?
- ?Could social media-based interventions reduce teen substance initiation?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Teens spending 30 min to 3 hours/day on social media had the highest odds of later marijuana use
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: large longitudinal cohort with statistical adjustment, but reliant on self-reported social media time and substance use.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study using PATH study data across multiple waves.
- Original Title:
- Time Spent on Social Media and the Risk of Substance Use Among US Adolescents.
- Published In:
- Journal of adolescence, 97(5), 1314-1322 (2025)
- Authors:
- Li, Xiao(2), Vaughn, Michael, Xian, Hong, Qian, Zhengmin
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06940
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did more social media always mean more marijuana use?
No. The relationship was curvilinear, with moderate users (30 min to 3 hours/day) at highest risk rather than the heaviest social media users.
Could social media cause teen drug use?
This study found an association but cannot prove causation. Social media may expose teens to substance-related content, or both behaviors may share common underlying risk factors.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06940APA
Li, Xiao; Vaughn, Michael; Xian, Hong; Qian, Zhengmin. (2025). Time Spent on Social Media and the Risk of Substance Use Among US Adolescents.. Journal of adolescence, 97(5), 1314-1322. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12498
MLA
Li, Xiao, et al. "Time Spent on Social Media and the Risk of Substance Use Among US Adolescents.." Journal of adolescence, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12498
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Time Spent on Social Media and the Risk of Substance Use Amo..." RTHC-06940. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/li-2025-time-spent-on-social
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.