One in Three Young Adults Turn to AI Chatbots for Drug and Alcohol Information

Young Adults Increasingly Rely on AI for Substance Use Information

More than 32% of young adults ages 18 to 29 have turned to AI chatbots for drug and alcohol information1

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, according to a Rutgers Health study published in JMIR Formative Research. The research surveyed 995 US participants and revealed that one in three young adults now use AI tools for substance-use information, with tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta AI becoming common sources for health information. Among those who use AI for substance use queries, nearly half reported doing so at least monthly, including 12% who access these platforms weekly and 4% who do so daily or almost daily2

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. This pattern suggests AI chatbots are supplementing rather than replacing traditional online search tools, as 93% of AI users also relied on Google search for similar purposes.

Primary Focus: Risks and Consequences of Substance Use

The survey, conducted online in April 2026, found that young adults primarily seek information about risks and consequences of substance use through AI chatbots. Nearly 93% of those who used AI tools for substance-use information cited this as their main reason2

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. Around half of respondents sought substance-specific details, including dosage details, while 35% explored topics related to substance use disorders such as addiction. Mireia Triguero Roura, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science at Rutgers Institute for Health and lead author of the study, expressed concern about this trend. "Using these tools can lead to misinformed or otherwise risky substance-use behavior among young people, who are the age group most affected by adverse effects of substance use," Triguero Roura stated1

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Trust in AI Tools Raises Public Health Concerns

Young adults in the Rutgers Health study demonstrated high levels of trust in AI for substance use information. Participants rated AI chatbots with an average trustworthiness score of 3.66 out of five for substance-related queries, compared to 3.51 for general use2

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. They also perceived these tools as highly helpful and reliable. However, this trust in AI raises significant public health implications, as AI chatbots can reproduce AI-generated misinformation about drugs and alcohol. The research team warns that misinformed decisions based on inaccurate chatbot responses could lead to risky behaviors among a demographic already vulnerable to adverse substance use effects. Watch for future research examining how young adults interpret AI outputs and whether these tools influence actual substance-use decisions and behaviors.

Demographic Disparities in AI Usage Patterns

The study revealed notable demographic disparities in who uses AI for substance-use information. Black respondents showed 2.52 times higher adjusted odds of using AI chatbots for drug and alcohol info compared to white respondents2

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. Male participants had approximately twice the adjusted odds of using these tools compared to female respondents. "The observed disparities in who chooses to use AI for drug-related inquiries could reflect differences in healthcare access, stigma, trust, and health information-seeking behaviors," Triguero Roura explained1

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. These patterns suggest that certain groups may be turning to AI tools to circumvent traditional healthcare systems due to access barriers or concerns about stigma when seeking substance-related guidance.

What This Means for the Future

As AI continues to shape how young adults access health information, researchers emphasize the need for additional investigation. Pia M. Mauro, associate professor at the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science and Rutgers School of Public Health who coauthored the study, suggests future work should assess the accuracy of chatbot responses and establish how this information influences real-world decisions. The short-term concern centers on immediate risky behaviors stemming from potentially inaccurate AI advice. Long-term implications include the possibility of AI chatbots becoming primary sources for sensitive health topics, potentially widening existing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. Researchers should monitor whether platforms like ChatGPT implement safeguards for substance-related queries and whether young adults develop critical evaluation skills when interpreting AI-generated health information.