A new danger on social media

Drug Dealers making an increased presence on social media?


Yes, you heard right - drug dealers are starting to use social media as a platform to distribute illegal substances.


A national representative poll in the United Kingdom by an advocacy group called Volteface of which 2,006 16 to 24-year-olds outlined that most drug-related adverts on social media were seen on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

 The results of the poll had Snapchat at 56% as the most common platform that respondents saw advertisements for illicit substances, followed by Instagram at 55% with Facebook on 47%.

 These statistics show that a rise in the prevalence of drug dealers advertising their products on social media is occurring. This is dangerous on social media as many social media applications are used by younger children more and more every day.

 The poll also provided information on which substances were more commonly advertised than others. The most common substance advertised on social media was cannabis, 63% of respondents stating they had seen it advertised. Cocaine was the second most advertised substance with 26% of respondents having said they have seen it being advertised on social media. 24% of respondents stated that they saw MDMA/ecstasy being advertised on social media.

 Sky News contacted four of the respondents who are 17 years old about the message of the potential dangers of drug use.

 One of the four that was contacted by Sky News said the following:
"We see things like cannabis and soft drugs, really every type of drug is now being advertised on social media."

 This statement is showing that drug dealers are starting to make social media a common place for selling their illicit substances to users, more notably, to users who are uneducated on the dangers of drugs or are already in a drug-affected family.

 Indy Sungoo, who said the earlier statement also said the following:
"Before it was a case for youngsters of whether they should really risk it, going on to the street to buy drugs. But now because it's on their feed and on their timeline, many are thinking 'why not?'".

 The main issue of the rise in prevalence of drug dealers using social media as a platform to sell illict substances is the fact that it is easier for young adults and teenagers to access and find the sellers of illict substances, as numerous social media apps include messaging services that allow them to contact and arrange and time and place.

 A serious issue that Volteface's study outlined is the fact that almost half of under-18s that were apart of the poll stated they were unconcerned with the appearance of the illicit substances on their social media applications.

 This evidently shows that there is less of a concern amongst younger adults / teenagers about drugs and the dangers of drug use.

 The overall message that the four 17 year olds that Sky News contacted are trying to convey is the fact that there is a serious need for education on social media and in general about drugs and the dangers of drug use, especially in younger adults / teenagers who are more prone to coming across dealers on social media.

 The rise of drug dealers using social media to sell illicit substances is creating a dangerous section of social media that is unsafe and is a practical black market for the advertisement of illicit substances over social media.

The question is though: Are we currently doing enough to educate people on drugs and the dangers of using illict substances and if not, why?


 referenced post:

https://news.sky.com/story/one-in-four-youngsters-exposed-to-illegal-drug-ads-on-social-media-11804202

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