Social Media and Texting Were Linked to Early Teen Substance Use, But TV and Video Games Were Not
Among eight types of screen time studied, social media, texting, and video chatting were the only modalities associated with cannabis experimentation in 11-12 year olds one year later, while TV, videos, and gaming were not.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Each additional hour of social media (AOR 1.20) and texting (AOR 1.18) was associated with higher odds of any substance experimentation one year later. Social media and texting were specifically associated with cannabis, alcohol, and nicotine experimentation, while TV/movies, videos, video games, and general internet use were not. Video chatting was linked to cannabis and nicotine experimentation.
Key Numbers
n=8,006; 47.9% female; 41.6% racial/ethnic minority; social media AOR 1.20 (95% CI 1.14-1.26) per hour; texting AOR 1.18 (95% CI 1.12-1.24) per hour; video chatting AOR 1.09 (95% CI 1.03-1.16) per hour for any substance use.
How They Did This
Prospective cohort analysis of ABCD Study data (n=8,006 early adolescents aged 11-12), using logistic regression to examine associations between eight types of screen time at Year 2 and substance use experimentation at Year 3, adjusting for covariates and baseline substance use.
Why This Research Matters
This study challenges the idea that "screen time" is a monolithic risk factor. The finding that interactive social screens (social media, texting, video chat) drive the substance use association while passive screens (TV, video games) do not has important implications for how parents and policymakers approach screen time guidelines.
The Bigger Picture
This study is part of a growing body of ABCD research distinguishing between types of screen use rather than treating all screens equally. The pattern that social/communicative screen activities carry more risk than passive consumption aligns with theories about peer influence and social norming.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported screen time is likely imprecise. Cannot determine what content adolescents encounter on social media or in texts. One-year follow-up only captures initial experimentation. The distinction between screen types may blur as platforms converge (e.g., video games increasingly include chat features).
Questions This Raises
- ?What specific content or interactions on social media and text messages drive the substance use association?
- ?Would these associations hold with objectively measured screen time?
- ?Do these screen-substance associations differ by demographic groups?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Social media and texting predicted cannabis experimentation; TV and video games did not
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: Large prospective cohort from the ABCD Study differentiating eight screen modalities, though self-reported measures and single-year follow-up are limitations.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025 using ABCD Study data.
- Original Title:
- Prospective association between screen use modalities and substance use experimentation in early adolescents.
- Published In:
- Drug and alcohol dependence, 266, 112504 (2025)
- Authors:
- Nagata, Jason M(4), Shim, Joan(2), Low, Patrick(2), Ganson, Kyle T, Testa, Alexander, He, Jinbo, Santos, Glenn-Milo, Brindis, Claire D, Baker, Fiona C, Shao, Iris Y
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07227
Evidence Hierarchy
Enrolls participants and follows them forward in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why might social media increase substance use risk but TV does not?
Social media, texting, and video chatting involve interactive peer communication where substance use norms can be shared and reinforced. Passive screen activities like watching TV or playing video games typically do not involve the same degree of peer influence around substance use.
Should parents restrict all screen time to prevent substance use?
This study suggests that not all screen time carries equal risk. Social and communicative screen activities showed associations with substance experimentation, while passive consumption did not. The findings point toward managing specific types of screen use rather than imposing blanket restrictions.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07227APA
Nagata, Jason M; Shim, Joan; Low, Patrick; Ganson, Kyle T; Testa, Alexander; He, Jinbo; Santos, Glenn-Milo; Brindis, Claire D; Baker, Fiona C; Shao, Iris Y. (2025). Prospective association between screen use modalities and substance use experimentation in early adolescents.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 266, 112504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112504
MLA
Nagata, Jason M, et al. "Prospective association between screen use modalities and substance use experimentation in early adolescents.." Drug and alcohol dependence, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112504
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Prospective association between screen use modalities and su..." RTHC-07227. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/nagata-2025-prospective-association-between-screen
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.