Technology may be replacing teenagers’ drug use

New research suggests that digital technology, such as smartphones and tablets, is replacing teenagers’ use of drugs.

It appears that teenagers have become addicted to technology, leaving them no time or inclination to experiment with alcohol or drugs. This trend has been around for the last 10 years, and experts have come to the conclusion that technology can deliver the same kick or high to youngsters as can drugs.

The Monitoring the Future study was carried out in the US and surveyed drug use among teenagers. The results showed that the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco amongst American teenagers has significantly declined, with levels at their lowest since the 1990s. The only illicit drug that American teenagers seemed to use is marijuana, but even rates of this had fallen dramatically since 1991.

There is a perception that anti-drug campaigns have largely failed, leading researchers to conclude that technology, and smartphones, in particular, are stimulating teenagers to such an extent that they no longer feel the need to experiment with drugs and alcohol. The director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora Volkow, now wants to explore this potential link between declining drug use and technology, to determine whether there is a causal link and not just a correlation between them. She said, ‘Something is going on. Teens can get literally high when playing these games,’ while a leading psychotherapist and a specialist in addiction, Dr Nicholas Kardaras, described screen time as ‘digital heroin.’