TikTok: Teens turn drug use into content

Dilated pupils, high on camera and often alone. On TikTok, more and more young people are publicly filming their drug use. The videos reach millions, often under a single hashtag: #Pingtok.

The trend reflects a new visibility of drug use on social media. What once happened behind closed doors is now filmed, aestheticized and shared publicly — sometimes with life-threatening consequences, and often unnoticed by parents.

"Since I started talking about addiction on TikTok, I get a lot of messages," says influencer Sarah in an interview with DW. "What really scares me is that many of them are minors."

She became addicted to drugs at the age of 15. Today, the 26-year-old uses TikTok to talk openly about addiction and withdrawal.

Many of her followers who encountered drugs through TikTok, she says, are even younger.

"They don't have anyone they can talk to. Some of them write to me about really disturbing experiences and trauma," she says.

One click away from drugs

Sarah's story is just one example of how easy it has become for young people to come across drug-related content on platforms including TikTok.

A simple search for the hashtag #Pingtok is enough to find countless videos of teenagers getting high. And the longer users scroll, the more the algorithm feeds them similar clips.

Asked by DW why TikTok is not doing more to curb the spread of such content, a TikTok spokesperson said:

"The safety and well-being of our community is a top priority. We prohibit the depiction, promotion or sale of drugs or other controlled substances and remove this content from the platform — over 99 percent of content violating these rules is removed before it is reported."

What lies behind #Pingtok

But #Pingtok shows how easily these rules can be bypassed.

Users speak in codes. They use emojis, sounds and newly coined terms to evade platform moderation. Instead of showing drugs directly, videos often focus on physical signs of drug use, such as heavily dilated pupils.

That is where the term Pingtok comes from: "Ping" is slang for consuming MDMA.

This type of algorithmic language, often referred to as "algospeak," makes it difficult to clearly identify and quickly remove content. Even when certain terms are blocked, users adapt fast. The hashtag #Pingtok itself has since been restricted by TikTok — replaced by variations such as #Pingtokk or #Pintok.

Dealing drugs in the comments

Even more concerning: TikTok increasingly functions as an informal marketplace.

"You don't even have to leave the house," Sarah says. "You get whatever you want, delivered straight to your room."

A look at the comment sections of these videos shows what she means. Requests like "Who's selling?" or "Need something in Berlin" are often met with direct replies.

Dealers use symbols such as a charging plug emoji to signal availability and then invite users into private chat groups on the messaging app Telegram.

When drug use becomes public

Teenagers have always experimented with drugs. But what has changed, Sarah says, is visibility.

In the past, people would draw the curtains and consume together in private. Today, they turn on the camera, take drugs alone and turn the high into content — for clicks on TikTok.

Recent data shows how dangerous uncontrolled drug use can be. According to Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, drug-related deaths in Germany have nearly doubled over the past ten years. Among people under 30, fatalities rose by 14% in 2024 alone.

Studies from the United States show a similar pattern: More than two-thirds of fatal overdoses recorded across the country happened at users' homes — often because no one else was there to intervene.

There is no proven direct link between trends like #Pingtok and overdose deaths. Still, experts warn that isolation and exposure to drug-related content on social media make drug use more dangerous.

Governments consider social media bans

Political pressure on social media platforms is growing worldwide. Several governments are now looking for ways to better protect young users from harmful content.

In December, Australia became the first country to introduce a social media ban for under-16s. The UK, Denmark, France and most recently Spain are considering similar restrictions.

The European Union is also discussing social media age rules and reviewing whether platforms are doing enough to comply with youth protection laws. On Friday, European Union regulators said TikTok violates online content rules and breaches the Digital Services Act due to its addictive features.

Not all content is glorification

But some experts caution that bans issued by governments are not a cure-all solution, and can even be actively harmful. "There is a whole side that gets left out of the conversation when we talk about substance use and social media," says researcher Layla Bouzoubaa in an interview with DW. "People who are using it for support — for things that are not glorification."

Bouzoubaa and her team at Drexel University analyzed hundreds of videos related to substance use on TikTok. Their findings: More than half focus on harm reduction, recovery or education.

A blanket removal of content – or banning platforms altogether — could harm these users, Bouzoubaa warns.

"We don't want to cut off this lifeline while trying to strictly moderate the content that is on there at the same time. If these platforms wanted to do anything that impacted this specific community on their platform, they need to involve them."

Prevention happens online

That is exactly the approach Sarah takes today. She no longer uses TikTok to glorify drugs, but to warn others about the real costs of addiction.

"Drug authorities and social workers have to accept that most of this now happens online," she says.

"It's good that they are out on the streets and in schools. But they also need to keep an eye on what's happening online – especially because many of the users there are underage."

Editor's note: If you or someone you know are suffering from serious emotional strain or thoughts of self-harm, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: https://www.befrienders.org/