Question: As a parent, I know we often focus on the negative ways media can influence our kids, but I also think it’s important to recognize that media can have some genuinely positive impacts too. Are there any messages out there that encourage healthy, drug-free lifestyles? Whether it’s educational videos, inspiring stories, or campaigns?

 

Answer: Thank you for your thoughtful question! This is an important perspective, and we appreciate you raising it. At the Center of Excellence, we recognize that media is often discussed only in terms of its potential negative impacts on youth. That said, we know that media can also play a meaningful role in promoting healthy behaviors and positive decision-making. Highlighting these positive examples can be a powerful way to support youth and families. 

In this response, we’ll start with how substance use content often appears online. Then we’ll share examples of successful digital intervention approaches, provide tips on how parents can support their child to make healthy choices, and share some resources. 

How substance use content shows up online 

First, it’s important for parents to know that youth can be exposed to portrayals promoting substance use on social media and fewer examples of its downsides, which shapes how teens understand the risks involved in substance use. We go into this in more depth in our past response on how social media influences teen substance use, but here’s a quick summary: 

  1. Advertisements: Teens may see ads for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or other substances online, especially if they are not honest about their age on their social media profile. 
  2. Influencers: One study found that 37% of alcohol promotion on social media originates from influencers, with 5% doing so as a paid sponsorship and 10% doing so as undisclosed marketing. Another study found that influencers who post about vaping rarely include health warning labels like the FDA recommends. 
  3. User-generated Content: An analysis of 808 different videos on TikTok about vaping found that users frequently portrayed vaping through humor and comedy with fun story lines, parodies, and pranks, along with referencing nicotine addiction, vaping tricks, or ‘how to’ tutorials. These depictions can create social norms and acceptance around vaping.  

The framing of the message around substance use on social media is very important. For example, if we look at framing around vaping, platforms like Wikipedia tend to have messages that are anti-vaping, while wikiHow or Reddit are targeted at those who already vape. This suggests that the likelihood of seeing messages promoting vaping can differ substantially based on the website or platform. 

The tone of substance-related content on social media can also vary depending on the type of substance. According to researchers, opiates were more commonly portrayed negatively on social media (55.5% of posts) while e-cigarettes and alcohol were often portrayed positively (85.9% and 91.6%, respectively). 

Overall, your teen is likely to see a mix of different messages about substances online. That’s why it’s important to create space for open, nonjudgmental conversations and help them take steps to protect themselves, such as blocking accounts or ads that are inappropriate.  

Substance abuse prevention through media 

There are a variety of prevention campaigns on social media that encourage healthy lifestyles. Two examples include: 

  • Living the Example (LTE) is a peer-to-peer program that trains youth ambassadors to create and post/share prevention messages throughout their social media networks. This campaign also hosts a national video contest showcasing youth-made videos of healthy living, passions, hobbies, and achievements to inspire and encourage each other to “live the example.” Evaluators found that students who were exposed to the messages and activities from the LTE campaign were less likely to plan to use substances of different kinds, including alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. 
  • The Real Cost campaign by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spreads educational content across media platforms to inform youth about the negative health effects and risks of vaping and smoking. A recent study found that as teens were exposed to this campaign’s content through different media, they were less likely to start vaping.  

Other studies have found similar results linking prevention ads in media to positive impacts on youth knowledge and behavior. For example, researchers who reviewed a series of studies on the effectiveness of vaping prevention messages found that youth who were exposed to these messages were more likely to see the risks of vaping and were less likely to plan to start vaping. In fact, one of the studies showed that this is true regardless of whether the messages were delivered in a visual, text-only, or quiz-based format. 

Although ad campaigns focused on preventing substance use are effective, digitally-delivered interventions focused on supporting youth who already use substances to quit have shown mixed results, so more research is needed.  

How parents & caregivers can help 

Family members can play a pivotal role in addressing substance use among youth. One study found that parents engaging in active mediation around media use with their child (that is, helping their child understand and think critically) can have a small but significant impact on their substance use. This shows that parents can limit some of the adverse effects of the media on substance use by using certain strategies like talking with their children, pointing out negative health behaviors, and encouraging them to think critically about what they see.  

Anecdotally, we have also heard from parents who watch shows like The Pitt, Euphoria, or Adolescence with their children that they are able to use the plot as a way to start conversations around substance use. For example, our co-medical director, Dr. Jenny Radesky, shared that she watches The Pitt with her 16-year-old son, and it has been an effective way to teach him not to buy pills online because they could contain fentanyl. If TV shows are a good way for you and your child to connect, Common Sense Media provides a list of Shows for Teens That Start Important Conversations. In addition, this article lists other popular movies and TV shows that involve the use and/or abuse of drugs or discuss the topic of drugs or addiction.  

Additional Resources for Parents and Caregivers 

Other resources to support discussions about healthy lifestyles with your child include:  

  • Becoming a Trusted Adult: Foundations for More Effective Drug Education: A ten-lesson course designed by the Stanford REACH Lab and the Stanford Center for Health Education that teaches practical, evidence-based skills for communicating with adolescents about substance use. 
  • SAMSHA’s “Talk. They Hear You” Campaign: An underage drinking prevention national media campaign that empowers parents and caregivers to talk with children early about alcohol and other drug use.  
  • Get Smart About Drugs: An official Drug Enforcement Agency resource for parents, educators, and caregivers that allows you to search for any drug to learn more about it, read stories from real families, and explore recent news and media posts.  
  • KNOw VAPE ‘Be Smart, Don’t Start’ Campaign: A multi-media campaign designed to prevent youth from vaping. The campaign includes social media posts, a documentary, and other downloadable materials. 
  • Red Ribbon Campaign: Red Ribbon Week, held annually on October 23rd – 31st, is the nation’s largest and longest-running prevention campaign. They provide awareness, advocacy, and resources with the mission to help keep kids drug-free. 

References  

  

Age: 10-17 

Topics: Adolescents, teens, youth, substance, prevention, positive, drug-free, vaping, alcohol, social media, campaign, inspiration, influencer, truth, cessation  

Role: Parent/Caregiver, Educator, Pediatrician/Clinician, Other 

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Last Updated

02/22/2026

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics