Remember the days when people worked hard to get limited references to alcohol and cigarettes in TV shows and movies? The glamorization? The ad placements?
Wow, does that seem quaint now?
My plan today is to give you a high-level review of what many kids and teens are seeing online in relation to drugs/substances, whether in shows, YouTube, or social media in general. What are the trends?
Also, I suggest a technique for bringing these things up with tweens in your life.
I recommend you try the following conversation outline, and I'll give you some examples of how to adapt it to the various online happenings and discussions about drugs that I'll be sharing with you.
1. Say to your child (I am thinking a child 11 on up),
“I just learned something I did not know.”
(Note: this is a statement, not a question. It can be such a relief to teens when we just state something rather than put them on the spot with a question).
If they speak up in any way, i.e., express their views, or ask a question — that’s great. But if not, no worries! You have to let them know that you are learning about and interested in the world of substances, and this can indeed increase the chance later that they may bring up the topic.
2. Regardless of whether they step into the conversation, try to find an opportunity to say something along the lines of:
“I really feel for young people today, with so many companies working behind the scenes to get them hooked on their products — knowing full well that starting young makes addiction and overuse way more likely. And on top of that, there’s all the short-term risks they face too.”
The magic behind this second part of the technique is that you are showing empathy toward what it is like to be a teen, as opposed to questioning the teen’s decision-making.
As recently reported in the NYT, there has been a major increase in companies selling nitrous oxide-based whipped cream chargers, with the packaging designed to appeal to young people.
Nitrous oxide, long used recreationally at parties, has found a new audience through flavored whipped cream chargers like Galaxy Gas.
Videos of teenagers inhaling these products in a host of flavors, like vanilla cupcakes, have gone viral across TikTok and YouTube, amassing millions of views despite platform efforts to restrict related searches. This trend represents a concerning evolution in how the product is being intentionally misused and promoted through social media.
You might say something like,
“I just learned that the FDA is seriously concerned about nitrous oxide—the gas found in whipped cream chargers—that can cause a strong head rush or high. There are serious medical concerns, yet viral videos make these products look harmless and fun.”
Then add this final thing,
“I really feel for teens who keep seeing videos and images of these canisters, making it look like a safe and fun thing to do. Where would they even come across any messages telling them otherwise?”
The report "#SponsoredbyBigTobacco" exposes how British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International have marketed Velo nicotine pouches, Vuse e-cigarettes, and IQOS heated tobacco products to young people in over 60 countries. Social media posts promoting these brands have amassed 3.4 billion views, mainly on Instagram.
Of the 385 million people exposed to this marketing, 40% are under 25 years old, including 16 million teens under 18.
Last week, I spoke with Amy Neville, whose 14-year-old son bought what he thought was an OxyContin tablet on Snapchat, but it turned out to contain fentanyl — leading to his death.
The heartbreaking reality is that fentanyl continues to be found in drugs sold online, often disguised as other medications like benzodiazepines (such as Xanax or Ativan), OxyContin-type drugs, and more.
So you might say to your child:
“I just learned that fentanyl — so potent that just a few grains can be deadly — is being mixed into drugs sold online, leading to teens being poisoned and dying. The DEA recently put out an emoji decoder revealing the different emojis drug dealers use to attract buyers on the internet.”
The second part of the conversation could be something like:
“I just feel that for young people, maybe they have a desire to be experimental, but now, more than ever in history, it can cost them their lives. It is tragic, and kids need to know about it. Fortunately, there is a campaign on the pill that can kill that, bringing awareness and info on resources for addiction.”
Teens we interviewed in Screenagers Under The Influence shared all sorts of ways that influencers are promoting cannabis on their social media feeds and on YouTube. Also, they see friends doing posts with bongs and smoking.
A point you could make
“Wow, I just learned that this month 11 middle schoolers in NY were in an ER because they had taken gummies with THC, the psychoactive substance of the week. They are not doing well. There is so much marketing online making weed seem safe and even healthy, and yet, real risks exist.”
The second part:
“This is such a scary reality for teens when it comes to cannabis — so different from when I was growing up. The potency is much higher, edibles make it easy to accidentally take too much, and everything is so readily available. I really feel for teens navigating all of this.”
One point to make:
“I just learned that hallucinogenic mushrooms are increasingly being advertised online for their supposed healing properties, yet there’s very little discussion about the risks.
Health experts warn that adolescents are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of magic mushrooms, which can include memory problems, hallucinations, panic attacks, and, in severe cases, the need for hospitalization.”
The second part could be:
“I can only imagine how confusing this must be for teens — seeing posts that claim mushrooms are a hack to a better life, while in reality, they come with serious risks.”
Questions to get the conversation started with your group or family:
Usually at the end of these blogs I offer some questions to prompt conversations with but this technique focuses on making factual statements followed by empathetic remarks rather than asking questions. So for today, no questions are offered.
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Remember the days when people worked hard to get limited references to alcohol and cigarettes in TV shows and movies? The glamorization? The ad placements?
Wow, does that seem quaint now?
My plan today is to give you a high-level review of what many kids and teens are seeing online in relation to drugs/substances, whether in shows, YouTube, or social media in general. What are the trends?
Also, I suggest a technique for bringing these things up with tweens in your life.
I recommend you try the following conversation outline, and I'll give you some examples of how to adapt it to the various online happenings and discussions about drugs that I'll be sharing with you.
1. Say to your child (I am thinking a child 11 on up),
“I just learned something I did not know.”
(Note: this is a statement, not a question. It can be such a relief to teens when we just state something rather than put them on the spot with a question).
If they speak up in any way, i.e., express their views, or ask a question — that’s great. But if not, no worries! You have to let them know that you are learning about and interested in the world of substances, and this can indeed increase the chance later that they may bring up the topic.
2. Regardless of whether they step into the conversation, try to find an opportunity to say something along the lines of:
“I really feel for young people today, with so many companies working behind the scenes to get them hooked on their products — knowing full well that starting young makes addiction and overuse way more likely. And on top of that, there’s all the short-term risks they face too.”
The magic behind this second part of the technique is that you are showing empathy toward what it is like to be a teen, as opposed to questioning the teen’s decision-making.
As recently reported in the NYT, there has been a major increase in companies selling nitrous oxide-based whipped cream chargers, with the packaging designed to appeal to young people.
Nitrous oxide, long used recreationally at parties, has found a new audience through flavored whipped cream chargers like Galaxy Gas.
Videos of teenagers inhaling these products in a host of flavors, like vanilla cupcakes, have gone viral across TikTok and YouTube, amassing millions of views despite platform efforts to restrict related searches. This trend represents a concerning evolution in how the product is being intentionally misused and promoted through social media.
You might say something like,
“I just learned that the FDA is seriously concerned about nitrous oxide—the gas found in whipped cream chargers—that can cause a strong head rush or high. There are serious medical concerns, yet viral videos make these products look harmless and fun.”
Then add this final thing,
“I really feel for teens who keep seeing videos and images of these canisters, making it look like a safe and fun thing to do. Where would they even come across any messages telling them otherwise?”
The report "#SponsoredbyBigTobacco" exposes how British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International have marketed Velo nicotine pouches, Vuse e-cigarettes, and IQOS heated tobacco products to young people in over 60 countries. Social media posts promoting these brands have amassed 3.4 billion views, mainly on Instagram.
Of the 385 million people exposed to this marketing, 40% are under 25 years old, including 16 million teens under 18.
Today, I share a clip from Screenagers Under The Influence, in which three myths concerning parenting and alcohol are exposed. Often after screenings of the movie, parents come up to me and say how stunned they are to learn about the research.
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April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and I propose we use it as a time not to be overly fixated on the topic but to use it as a time to have one or two calm conversations. In today’s blog, I guide you through some topics and ideas to bring up with your kids about what they see in shows, movies, music videos, and social media and how it might influence their decisions.
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Last month in Marin County, California, police arrested a person who was selling drugs. What makes this arrest different than most other drug busts is that this person was selling drugs on Snapchat. Today I look at how law enforcement is monitoring these deals and how to talk to your teens about this.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
