Prevalence and Attitudes about Illicit and Prescription Drugs on Twitter

As with many other health issues, each day Twitter users report information on their experiences with drugs, giving researchers an unique window on attitudes and behaviors about drug misuse and abuse. Using data collected over two different time periods and covering a broad range of substances, including prescribed opioids and illicit drugs, we present statistics about volume, as well as attitudes with respect to distribution (selling/buying) and need. We find that prescription drugs, such as sleeping pills, Xanax, and Adderall, are the top drugs needed in Twitter. Significantly more users are trying to sell illegal hard drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, rather than buy or claim need for these drugs. Finally, the Twitter chatter related to specific drugs is directly impacted by high-visibility media events involving such substances. Evaluating these and further results will provide valuable information about the modern drug experience.