New Social “Challenge” Putting Kids Lives AT RISK

Smartphone showing social media app icons in a folder

Doctors are now warning parents that a new wave of “trendy” social media challenges is luring kids as young as 12 into dangerous vaping and drug use—while woke bureaucrats and Big Tech sit idly by, watching our children’s health go up in smoke.

At a Glance

Youth vaping rates in Australia dropped in 2024, but social media and peer pressure still fuel risky behaviors among teens.
Kids as young as 11 are now experimenting with vaping synthetic cannabinoids—often without knowing what they’re inhaling.
Doctors and researchers are sounding the alarm over the health dangers of these trends, urging tougher regulation of social media content and more parental involvement.
Parental disapproval and school crackdowns have proven effective, but the vape industry and social media giants continue to find new ways to target youth.

Social Media: The New Playground for Dangerous Trends

Social media isn’t just about sharing cat videos and family photos anymore; it’s become the breeding ground for dangerous trends that target our kids. In Australia, researchers and doctors are now warning that digital platforms are actively glamorizing vaping—making it look cool and “healthy” despite mounting evidence of serious health risks. The latest twist? Adolescents as young as 11 are experimenting not just with nicotine vapes, but with synthetic cannabinoids and other mystery substances. Most have no clue what’s actually in the cartridges they’re inhaling, but the allure of internet fame and peer acceptance keeps them coming back for more. Parents and school officials are left to pick up the pieces, while Big Tech continues to profit off viral content that would make any sensible adult’s jaw drop.

Doctors across the country have begged social media companies to do more, but their pleas seem to fall on deaf ears. Instead, these platforms continue to amplify risky behaviors, pushing them into the faces of millions of impressionable teens every day. In the meantime, schools and parents are forced into the role of enforcers, confiscating vape pens and suspending students, while the corporations responsible laugh all the way to the bank.

Peer Pressure and the Science of Manipulation

Peer influence has always been a factor in youth behavior, but new research shows just how powerful it is in the age of TikTok and Instagram. A University of Queensland study found that teens with friends who vape are a staggering 15 times more likely to take up the habit themselves. No amount of legislation or health warnings can compete with the relentless barrage of “influencers” and classmates who act as walking advertisements for the latest vape flavors and devices. Even as the rate of teens with friends who vape has declined, the risk remains sky-high for those who are exposed.

What’s actually inside these vapes is anyone’s guess, with a growing number now containing THC, CBD, or synthetic chemicals that can cause unpredictable—and sometimes fatal—side effects. Girls and younger adolescents are particularly vulnerable, with the rate of synthetic cannabinoid vaping among 11- to 15-year-olds doubling between 2021 and 2023. The parallels with the old tobacco and alcohol battles are obvious, but today’s enemy is even more insidious: it lives in our kids’ pockets, disguised as a harmless app.

What Actually Works: Parental Backbone and School Enforcement

The good news—if you can call it that—is that not every tool in the fight for our kids’ health is useless. Parental disapproval still packs a punch: studies show it slashes the odds of youth vaping by a whopping 70 percent. School-based enforcement is also making a dent, with vaping-related suspensions in South Australia dropping by more than half since the crackdown began. But these victories are hard-won, and they come in spite of, not because of, the so-called “protectors” at the top of the tech and regulatory food chain.

Doctors and public health officials are calling for a full-court press—tighter social media regulation, targeted educational campaigns, and relentless pressure on the vape industry to stop targeting children. But as long as profits come first and common sense comes last, parents and teachers will continue fighting a battle that should never have been theirs alone. If we want to keep our kids safe, we need to get serious about holding Big Tech and Big Vape accountable—and stop letting them write the rules of the game.