cannabisnews.com: Conflicting Signals





Conflicting Signals
Posted by FoM on February 26, 2002 at 06:32:27 PT
By Alexa Pozniak
Source: ABC News.com
Speeding breathlessly down a mountain slope, world-renowned skier Chad Fleischer tells the camera, "I haven't had a vacation, potato chip, or fast food in 2 ½ years. Do you think I'd ever mess with drugs?" He then proclaims, "Skiing is my anti-drug." The commercial is just one of several anti-drug ads featuring popular Olympians, the latest in a line of campaigns designed to convey the message that "drugs are not cool." 
These kinds of ad campaigns appear to be helping to keep kids off drugs, advocates say.A recent survey conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, for instance, shows that a shrinking number of teens say rap or rock music makes drugs seem OK, just 42 percent in 2000, down from 51 percent in 1997. As for television, 40 percent of teens in 2000 said programs make drugs seem OK, down from 44 percent in 1997. But anti-drug advocates say America's youth is still getting mixed messages about illegal substances from the media as a whole.One example is a recent popular song about marijuana, "Because I Got High," in which the singer mentions his many good intentions before deciding to get high instead.These, and numerous other examples have parents and anti-drug advocates worried over the array of mixed messages the media are sending. "Research we have done shows that television and music, and movies in particular, really normalize certain kinds of unhealthy behavior," says Alan Levitt, director of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign in New York. "In the case of music, you're listening to it over and over again." Movies, Television, and More But the blame cannot be placed on one medium alone, advocates acknowledge. "It's pop culture, it's the talk-show hosts that make light of drugs," Levitt explains. "It's also the mixed messages you get from movie stars and sports celebrities who beat somebody up or crash their car because they were under the influence or used drugs, and still make $20 million a year. If you go to some stores, you see marijuana T-shirts and jewelry." Television is becoming more like movies, many of which contain scenes of drug and alcohol use, says Dr. James Sargent, associate professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. "TV shows are becoming more edgy, and increasingly depicting more smoking and drugs." But Levitt believes that network television is the most accurate of all of the mediums because "most of the time there is a negative consequence [to the drug use that is depicted], which is not true with films." A recent episode of the hit NBC drama ER, for instance, depicts the infant of one the physicians accidentally overdosing on his teenage daughter's hidden stash of the drug Ecstasy, says Howard Simon, spokesman for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America."The show highlighted the negative effects of ecstasy, and the teenager not understanding the risks," he adds. "This is something we never would have seen on TV years ago." Teach, Don't Preach Experts agree that it's not enough to simply teach children about the negative consequences associated with drugs. They need to understand how the media convey information as well, making it harder for the viewer to be manipulated. As part of one such media literacy curriculum, students at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md., study prime-time television, movies and advertisements. "When we look at drugs and alcohol, we try to lay out the ads" as a way to understand how media messages work, says Christopher Lloyd, a teacher at the school. "We will deconstruct everything, teach them to read into things, get some data, and have students make their own determinations about the advertisers' intent," Lloyd adds. But in the end, when it comes to helping kids understand the consequences of substance abuse, never underestimate the power of the parent, experts say."The one single factor that will influence whether kids use alcohol and tobacco is their parents," says Levitt. "And the less role parents have the more impact other influences have, like the media." Note: Media’s Mixed Message on Drugs Raises Concern for Anti-Drug Advocates.Source: ABCNews.comAuthor: Alexa PozniakPublished: February 25, 2002Copyright: 2002 ABC News Internet VenturesWebsite: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Contact: http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/email.htmlRelated Articles: New Ads Hint at Change in War on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12062.shtmlBush's $19 Billion Antidrug Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11997.shtmlNew Low in the War on Drugs - A. Huffingtonhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11943.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #5 posted by mr greengenes on February 27, 2002 at 07:17:22 PT
Skiing Deaths
Does anybody know how to find out the annual death rates for skiing?Marijuana, my anti-ski.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by DdC on February 26, 2002 at 11:31:19 PT
Outlaw Legal Drugs & Remove Laws From Plants!!!
Drug Deaths Per YearTobacco+.........................435,175
Alcohol*.........................100.000
Secondhand smoke**.................3,800
Overdoses illegal hard drugs*......3,600
Overdoses legal drugs*............21,000
Cocaine/crack overdoses*...........1,969
Heroin overdoses*..................1,046
Aspirin overdoses*.................1,000
Marijuana overdoses*...................0Sources; + Federal Center for Disease Control, 1990.
*US Public Health Service
**Environmental Protection Agency 1990.Bayer Heroin with Aspirin
http://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/30/30620.gifCocaine Toothache drops Advertisement, 1885
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/cocaine/coke1.htmHash Sale this week at Edens
http://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/31/31918.jpgGet Over It! Cannabis is Medicine!
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35917.gifEnvironment; Action on Dioxins "drugs" in Food.
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=179.topicCannabis less harmful than aspirin
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=174.topicOrganic Cannabis/Tobacco vs Chemical Cigarettes
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=310.topicOPEC Fossil Fuels vs Homegrown Biomass
http://www.overthrowthegov.com/com/reply.asp?topic_id=308&forum_id=6
More Biomass
http://www.journeytoforever.orgOPEC Fossil Fiber vs Homegrown Hemp     
http://www.overthrowthegov.com/com/reply.asp?topic_id=310&forum_id=6The Assassins of Youth DARE the FRCn PDFA Chemical Partnerships! 
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=105.topicThe Chemical Manipulation of Human Consciousness
http://www.trufax.org/menu/chem.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Path on February 26, 2002 at 11:13:41 PT
Mixed Messages
But Levitt believes that network television is the most accurate of all of the mediums because "most of the time there is a negative consequence [to the drug use that is depicted], which is not true with films." Ha. I think that would make it the least accurate, since they neglect to acknowledge that drugs, for many people, are enjoyable and without all those terrible side-effect that are supposed to happen. I've certainly had far more positve experiences with drugs than negative (except for alcohol).If you go to some stores, you see marijuana T-shirts and jewelry." You can also send away for merchandise using your Camel Cash or Marlboro Miles, simply for smoking lots of cigarettes. You can also buy t-shirts with the Bud frogs (now somewhat dated) and a myriad of other Beer company merchandise."The one single factor that will influence whether kids use alcohol and tobacco is their parents," says Levitt. Is that why alcohol and tobacco aren't included in the ONDCP's campaign? Because the parents are taking care of it? Or is it because they are legal and supporting these government programs.But anti-drug advocates say America's youth is still getting mixed messages about illegal substances from the media as a whole.No wonder. They see drugs like alcohol and tobacco accepted and advertised all over magazines and television, yet these drugs are the two biggest problems drugs in America. But then, the taboo drugs, which far fewer people use, get all sorts of attention and exaggerated claims. This piques their interest, along with the fact that their friend who tried ecstasy had an awesome experience and did not die like the ads said she would. Kids are smarter than you think. Much smarter than the people who are trying to get them to think (their way)
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by schmeff on February 26, 2002 at 09:19:04 PT
Alan Levitt....
...believes that network television is the most accurate of all of the mediums...And Bart Simpson mows my lawn.Levitt, director of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, is a professional propagandist, and makes his living by telling lies (although he would prefer the term "PR", short for propaganda.) His main complaint is that propaganda can change behavior; in this case, music which conflicts with his propaganda."In the case of music, you're listening to it over and over again." "There is too much truth depicted in the media, and it is negatively effecting the acceptance of my lies," Levitt added.My dog can lick your dog.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by JSM on February 26, 2002 at 08:33:21 PT
ER Episode
Funny thing about that episode, the drugs that baby took could have just as easily been aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or any number of just as dangerous substances. Or on the other hand, what would have happened if the baby had eaten 1/2 ounce of cannabis? Of course, this point is simply overlooked. The problem ultimately wasn't the ecstasy it was the carelessness of the teenager involved. Some anti-drug message that turned out to be.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment