Fentanyl overdoses have emerged as a leading cause of death among minors in the past five years despite a slight decrease in overall drug use. The DEA’s 2022 analysis of fentanyl-laced prescription pills revealed that six out of 10 contained potentially deadly amounts of the drug.
Social media platforms such as Snap, TikTok, Telegram, and Meta (owner of Instagram) are being criticized by experts, law enforcement, and children’s advocates for not doing enough to protect minors. These platforms have become avenues for obtaining tainted and counterfeit prescription drugs with ease.
Instances like Coco’s, a 17-year old who lost her life after meeting a dealer through Instagram, highlight the dangers of these unregulated drug transactions. Even though she sought Percocet, what she received was a lethal fake pill containing fentanyl.
In a separate tragedy, Mikayla Brown’s son, Elijah, died from a suspected fentanyl overdose shortly after his 15th birthday. Despite looking for Xanax, he unwittingly ingested tainted pills, ultimately leading to his death.
National Crime Prevention Council estimates suggest that 80% of teenage fentanyl poisoning deaths are linked to social media interactions. The prevalence of illicit substances online, as highlighted in a 2023 report by Colorado’s attorney general, is described as “staggering.”
Although accidental overdoses in the U.S. have slightly decreased yearly since 2021, with 1,511 deaths in 2023 among ages 0 to 19, efforts towards education and awareness are credited by experts for this decline. However, the drop is deemed minimal by the National Crime Prevention Council.
Meta stated that drug dealers are persistent criminals who exploit various platforms to sell dangerous products, emphasizing the collective effort required to counter this challenge. The company reported proactively removing 2 million pieces of content related to drugs in early 2024.
In response to the crisis, Snap expressed its commitment to combatting the fentanyl epidemic by utilizing advanced technology to detect and eliminate illicit drug-related content. Moreover, Snap collaborates with law enforcement to combat drug trafficking on its platform.
Concerns over the regulation of tech companies and their role in facilitating illicit drug sales have prompted legal action. The Senate’s passage of the Kids Online Safety Act aims to safeguard children from harmful online content, while proposed bills call for mandatory reporting of illicit drug activities on social media platforms by companies.
Advocates stress the importance of holding social media platforms accountable for their contribution to the distribution of harmful substances like fentanyl, as seen in recent tragedies involving minors.