Drugs in the media

Drug use in movies and television is fairly common. For adults that know the risks of drugs, this is just another device used to advance a plot or story line. For children and teenagers, it’s possible that the depictions of drug use could be confusing and potentially dangerous.

The Oscar-winning film Pulp Fiction is a great example. A heroin scene with John Travolta could be interpreted as glorifying its use, similar to how visual effects and music enhance the clip. Later in the movie, the drug is (mistakenly) snorted, which nearly kills the character played by Uma Thurman. It’s a grotesque, frightening thing to watch.

To be fair, the film is rated R, so kids and teenagers shouldn’t be viewing it in the first place. But with the extensive reach of cable TV and movie apps, that can be hard to enforce.

The possibility that television and movies could have any effect on young minds is reason enough for parents to be concerned about it. Here are some things to consider.

Influencing behavior

The television show Breaking Bad is another interesting case. The AMC drama was about a high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with cancer. In his efforts to provide for his family after he is gone, he dabbles in making meth, which eventually leads to him becoming a drug kingpin. The show earned numerous awards and was universally hailed by critics.

Could it influence viewers? It’s hard to have a definitive answer to that. Breaking Bad’s depiction of drug use wasn’t of the glamorous sort, so it wouldn’t seem to inspire any sort of temptation. But Blake Ewing, an assistant district attorney in Austin, has a different view. He wrote an essay about the show for Time magazine, detailing how he was initially a fan but the idea that meth could be somewhat normalized by the show led him to shift his perspective.

“Before Breaking Bad, relatively few people knew someone whose life had been touched by meth, but now millions more people have an intense emotional connection with at least two: Walter White and Jesse Pinkman,” Ewing explains. “And suddenly, for those spellbound viewers, the idea of people using meth is a little less foreign, a little more familiar. And that false sense of familiarity is inherently dangerous. Does this mean that watching an episode of Breaking Bad will cause responsible adults to run out and find a local meth dealer? Clearly not, and I have no interest in blaming television writers and producers for the destructive choices that other people make. But when a critically acclaimed television show centered on the drug world so permeates popular culture that it becomes the subject of watercooler talk and Jimmy Fallon parodies, there can be little doubt that some people on the margins of society will be drawn into that world, if only out of morbid curiosity. Breaking Bad is great art, but sometimes great art affects culture negatively. We can acknowledge that fact without calling for censorship or puritanism.”

Marijuana as comedy

Unlike the meth example with Breaking Bad, marijuana is often used for comedic effect in television and movies. This isn’t new territory — Cheech and Chong were doing the same thing in the 1970s. But as marijuana use has become legal for adults in some states, this lighthearted approach to drug use could be confusing. As the National Institute for Drug Abuse explains on its teen site, these are dangerous substances for young people.

“Hollywood is exciting, glamorous, dramatic, funny, and can make just about anything seem cool — including drug abuse, and especially the use of marijuana. But films don’t tell you the whole story. Did you know there are over 400 different chemicals in marijuana smoke? Did you know that marijuana smoke really does hurt your memory, judgment and perception?”

Solutions

What can parents do to prevent this media influence? Communication is crucial, as is an awareness of what kinds of movies and shows are being consumed by the teenager. The Center on Media and Child Health offers these suggestions:

• Be aware of what they’re seeing: Make the effort to ensure they aren’t watching inappropriate content on television, smartphones, tablets, and at the movie theater. Watch trailers and read reviews to see if movies or shows cross the line.
   “Consuming media with your child can also help reduce the negative effects of substance abuse exposure,” the center suggests. “As you can explain the realities surrounding the attitudes and behaviors being depicted and answer any questions they may have.”
• Teach critical thinking: The center recommends guiding children to “question the motivations” and accuracy of drug use in movies and television. “By teaching children that substance use in the media is often inaccurate and can be detrimental to their health, children will be less likely to accept what they see or hear as an indication or model for how they should behave.”
• Limit screen access: Yank that TV out of their rooms, the center says. That goes for computers, smartphones and tablets too, which the center suggests should be kept in a common room or the parents’ bedroom at night. “By keeping these electronics in a common area, parents can monitor their use much more easily and be aware of how much media their children are using and if the content is developmentally appropriate.”