Study: One in three young adults asks AI chatbots about drugs and alcohol
In a Rutgers University survey of 995 Americans aged 18 to 29, 32% said they had used AI to look up information on drugs and alcohol. The authors warn of the risk of misinformation.
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About a third of young adults in the United States use AI chatbots to look up information on drugs and alcohol, according to a Rutgers University study published in the journal JMIR Formative Research and released on Oct. 26. Researchers surveyed 995 people aged 18 to 29 online in April 2026. They found that 32% had used tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Meta AI for questions related to substance use.
Almost half of those users did so at least once a month, including 12% weekly and 4% daily or almost daily. Nearly 93% said they wanted to learn about risks and consequences. About half looked for information on specific substances, including dosage, and 35% for information on addiction. Nearly all of them (93%) also used Google for the same purpose. Male and Black respondents were more likely than others to turn to AI.
"Using these tools can lead to misinformed or otherwise risky substance-use behavior among young people," said lead author Mireia Triguero Roura, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers. Differences in who uses AI for such questions could also reflect unequal access to health care, she said. The study is based on a survey and does not assess how accurate the chatbots' answers are.
This article is for information only and is not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. Figures as of the date stated.