The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the United States has reached over 100,000 drug overdose deaths, and experts are attributing the record amount and increase in deaths to increased ease of access to illicit drugs.
A 28.5% increase in fatalities has led to experts turning to social media in a quest for answers, with Kathleen Miles of the Center on Illicit Networks and Transnational Organized Crime saying that the drug trade on social media is thriving.
She said that social media can be great, but it also has a dark side to it.
Companies like Snapchat and TikTok have begun to make statements and try to take action regarding the issue, as social media applications make communication easier for drug dealers.
In a statement on its website, TikTok said it removed 96% of videos with illegal activities and regulated goods within 24 hours.
The video-focused social network said that TikTok does not enable criminal activities or the promotion or trade of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and other controlled substances or regulated goods.
Snapchat is going to take immediate action in an effort to remove drug sales from its service.
The messaging app said we work with law enforcement, partner with parent groups, safety organizations, and experts who inform all of these practices, and we constantly evaluate where we can work to combat this illegal activity.