Stoddard, Sarah A., et al. "Permissive norms and young adults’ alcohol and marijuana use: The role of online communities." Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs 73.6 (2012): 968-975.

This study investigates the impact of online social networking on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among young adults aged 18-24 in the United States, focusing on the content related to AOD use present in these virtual networks. Utilizing an adapted web version of respondent-driven sampling to recruit a sample of 3,448 participants, the study examines the associations between past-30-day alcohol and marijuana use, online norms regarding AOD use, peer substance use, and both online and offline peer support through multivariate regression analysis. Findings indicate that the presence of alcohol content online is associated with higher alcohol use among young adults, while anticipated regret and online peer support correlate with lower alcohol use. Anticipated regret also shows a negative association with marijuana use, and peer AOD use is positively linked to both alcohol and marijuana consumption. The results underscore the significant influence of peers on AOD use, highlighting the need for online network-based AOD prevention programs targeting young adults in the United States.