Tweens on social media: Experts say it could lead to earlier substance use

A new four‑year study links early and rapidly increasing social‑media use to much higher odds of trying substances — the highest‑use group (started ~age 9, 3+ hrs/day) had about 17× the odds of experimenting with cannabis and 14× with tobacco versus little/no users — though the study shows association, not proof of causation.
Substance content and ads are common and mostly positive: over half of teens reported seeing online alcohol marketing, ~61% saw peers post alcohol content, and reviews find roughly 77% of substance‑related posts present use favorably.
Experts urge proactive family media plans (the AAP’s “5 C’s” approach): monitor and talk about content early, model healthy phone habits, set boundaries, and replace screen time with shared activities.