Buying Risk: Illegal Drug Purchases via Social Media Among Adolescents. Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates from the ‘LifeOnSoMe’ Study

Abstract

Adolescent drug use remains a significant public health concern, and the emergence of social media as a platform for purchasing illegal drugs adds complexity to this issue. This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of Norwegian adolescents who report buying illegal drugs via social media. Data were drawn from a sample of 3,347 adolescents (mean age 17.3), who indicated whether they had ever purchased drugs through social media. Potential correlates were examined cross-sectionally, including sociodemographic factors (age, gender, subjective socioeconomic status), psychosocial indicators (depression and anxiety symptoms), and purchase-adjacent variables such as perceived ease of access and peer commonality. Analyses employed descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and dominance analysis. Findings show that 5.4% (n = 182) reported purchasing illegal drugs via social media, accounting for nearly one-third of those who had ever tried illegal drugs. Over half of purchasers reported four or more transactions. Purchasers exhibited higher psychological distress (depression for boys) and greater social media use (girls only). Peer norms and ease of access emerged as strong predictors, explaining over 30% of variance in purchasing behavior. These results underscore the role of social and accessibility factors in adolescent drug acquisition online. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify causal pathways and temporal dynamics.