Andrea Torres

English 113B

Professor Lawson

19 April 2017

Project Text Final Draft

Word Count: 2188

Drugs In Movies

In our American society, drug use is accepted due to pop culture specifically in movies

that portray the use of it as glamorous. Drug use is in all genres of movies of different movie

ratings. Due to drug use being shown in different ratings, viewers as young as 13 years old are

exposed to substance use. At that age, teens are building esteem, expressing identity and

following their role models and peers to fit in. How are drugs portrayed in movies and does it

encourage young adults to initiate drug use? The portrayal of drug use in movies does encourage

young adults to initiate substance use because drug use is glamorized while hardly ever showing

the negative impact of drugs and it's consequential outcomes.

Drugs have been appearing more and more in movies as well as in our society. Movies

have created a depiction that drugs are cool and appealing to society. Movies show that drugs

can be consumed on any occasion without consequences when in reality it can be harmful.

Instead good outcomes of these actions are shown to the viewers and rarely does it show the

negative consequences. According to NIH, "57 percent of films with alcohol references depicted

no consequences to the user and 96 percent of those movies contained references supporting
alcohol while 37 percent of movies discouraged alcohol use" ( This shows that drugs are a must

have in more than half of movies and it doesn't matter whether the movie portrays the real

negative consequences. When a movie shows a character getting caught for possessing drugs,

they eventually get out of trouble and are then shown reaping the benefits. The depiction that

drugs can be used in any occasion creates a concept that it is acceptable to use it whenever. For

example, the most common depressant drug used in movies is alcohol and it is used whenever a

character is mad, sad, relaxed, stressed and even happy. This is shown throughout ratings as

young as PG-13 and in any genre creating a misconception that drugs are safe and acceptable in

our society.

Young adults behaviors and attitude is influenced by environmental factors. Due to the

fact that movies tend to show a lot of substance use like smoking and drinking, young kids can

be influenced to initiate that behavior. Teens are at the age where they are creating an identity for

themselves, forming relationships and are highly influenced by one another because they want to

fit in. Over the years, marijuana has became more popular in the movie world. It is often

depicted as a way of forming good relationships, getting along with others, and a way to truly

have a great time. The PG-13 movie, Dark Shadow starring the well known celebrity Johnny

Depp playing as a vampire, Barnabas Collins shows how he forms a friendship with hippies by

just sharing a joint. This is a misconception to the teens that substance use, like smoking

marijuana with others is a successful way to form good relationships. The movie Pineapple

Express is another example of a friendship formed by marijuana. A drug dealer and his customer

go through a life or death adventure and become best friends all because of their connection with

marijuana and are seen throughout the movie smoking weed. There is a scene in where they are

both trying to make fast money and sell some marijuana to young middle schoolers. As they are
trying to seal the deal with the kids, they light up a joint and smoke with the kids. Reaction of the

kids is shown as having fun by dancing, laughing and doing flips resulting in the success of

selling the drug to the kids. Another PG-13 movie that shows a more successful, meaningful

bond is shown in the movie People Like Us. A scenes in the movie shows a mom and son

bonding and successfully healing their broken relationship by smoking marijuana. It is common

for teens to have issues with their parents and difficulty to bond because their parents dont

understand them. Being exposed to movies that contain scenes like these may propose an idea to

the teen that smoking is the answer. It shows them that a bond between a mother and a son or

making new friends can be done easily through smoking marijuana and could probably be the

best option. Not only do movies show drugs can heal a bond but also shows that one can have a

great time with it.

Movies portray that an individual has a better time, the ability to expand mental

boundaries and enhances awareness under the influence of drugs. Characters are shown

celebrating by getting high and drunk resulting in engagement of sexual activity induced by

drugs which viewers then associate drug use with a good time. Movies rated R are allowed to

show this type of activity. Teens are still able to watch these rated R movies if they are

accompanied by someone that is 18 years of age or over. These movies are still accessible to

anyone, online and in stores which makes it easier for teens to obtain. Project X is an R rated

movie that explicitly depicts the association between drugs and a good time. This movie is about

a teenager needing to throw his 17th birthday party to help raise his social status and "get lucky."

Alcohol, weed, and ecstasy are being taken by these teen characters and some are shown

engaging in reckless and sexual behavior due to the substance use. A scene in the movie shows

an example of a good outcome when the so called hottest girl in school desires to have sex with
the main character. This is an example of how people especially teen males can develop a

misinterpretation that females are more vulnerable and unconscious due to the influence of

drugs. The good outcome can range from having a good time to the person getting what they

want.

A character that is the same age as the viewer can be an influential model to them. An

article called "Portrayals of Teen Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Recent Popular Movies,"

explains how movies play a big part in influencing young adults to use drugs. "Scholars have

shown that people learn best and most from those with whom they identify, and that perceived

similarity can be a core component of identifying with others" (Stern). Movies constantly depict

drug use with a good outcome as shown in the movie and teens perceive it as acceptable

therefore they desire to do what seems cool since the teens in the movies do it without having a

negative consequence. A lot of movies include roles of young adults seeking a younger

audience. Teenagers tend to identify themselves with a character in a movie. When a teen is able

to relate to a character and a situation they are in, they tend to view them as themselves

throughout the whole movie. Movies like 21 Jump Street, Superbad, Neighbors and many more

show teens using drugs. Relating to these characters can cause a teen to think that if it is possible

for the characters then it could be for them to in real life.

Most movies try to keep up with real life's trends to make the movie appealing and

relatable so people can watch it. Characters are shown using modern slang terms, the latest

fashion trends and of course the latest drugs. Smoking and drinking have risen over the years and

became a more popular trend especially to teenagers that are now feeling pressured According to

an article "Messages from Teens on the Big Screen: Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Teen

Centered Films," shows a study in where "young people (ages 1422) are more likely to
associate smoking cigarettes or pot and drinking alcohol with popular peers, rather than

unpopular peers. A quarter of high school students believe that people who smoke pot are

more interesting and more independent people" (Stern). The association between drug use and

popularity creates a misconception for teens that it's an effective way to become popular and not

be an outsider. Teenagers tend to create some sort of hierarchy classifying those that are popular

at the top of the pedestal and those that aren't at the bottom. This idealism makes those at the

bottom of the hierarchy feel that they are lesser than the others that are classified as popular

people. This type of hierarchy exists in both worlds of film and real life. Not only does teens feel

that this hierarchy exists but is even demonstrated in movies. Movies depict this idea showing a

ranking of characters. The popular kids are shown hosting parties that include drugs like

narcotics and alcohol. Teens associate popularity and drugs because that is what is they see in

real life and it is what movies depict. In the movie Dazed and Confused shows a perfect example

for associating popularity with drugs and alcohol. Popular senior students are seen smoking weed

while exposing this custom to the lower grades that arent considered popular. Throughout the

movie it is shown how the unpopular freshmans are seen trying to get a taste of the popular

senior life.

Many people might believe that movies can't influence people to use drugs because they

might say it is possible that teens may already have experienced smoking and drinking or there

might be other factors like home issues and depression as to why they might want to try drinking

and smoking. In an article called "Movies Influence Teen Alcohol Consumption More than

Parents, Study Finds," shows a longitudinal study that accounts for the confounding variables

when asking if there are other reasons why people may start substance use. The study was made

through a phone call survey with 10 to 14 year olds who were then surveyed again two years
later. They were asked what movies they watched and if they had merchandise with liquor brands

on it. They also asked about their personality, school and home life. Those are the extraneous

variable they took into account. Researchers would determine the amount of exposure of alcohol

in the movies they watched. After taking the confounding variables into account, researchers

concluded that those that watched the most movies involving alcohol were twice more likely to

initiate drinking. This study explicitly shows that movies do influence teens to begin substance

use. Movies have morals and can teach teens how to resolve a problem so even if people say that

they may initiate substance use due to other problems, movies set an example and create a

solution by drugs.

Drugs are becoming more popular in movies due to the fact that is becoming widely used

and society has established conformity towards substance use. Drug and alcohol use can be seen

in various ratings of movies starting from PG-13 movies exposing these customs to teens as

young as 13. Teens at this age are vulnerable to peer pressure due to having to fit in with the rest

of their peers and not be an outsider. It is a critical period of creating identity. Movies make

drugs seem glamorous and is often depicted as being a solution and associated with having a

great time. Teens are exposed to this idea and create a misconception of the world and a

misunderstanding that there are negative consequences of these actions. Teens may believe that

the way characters behave is a portrayal of the real world since movies lack showing the real

negative consequences. Therefore, people using drugs in movies that are considered popular may

influence unpopular teens to initiate drug use, making it a solution to their low ranking in their

hierarchy. The portrayal of drug use in movies indeed encourages teenagers to initiate substance

abuse.
 Works Cited

Dark Shadow. Directed by Tim Burton, Warner Bros, 2012.

Dazed and Confused. Directed by Richard Linklater, Gramercy Pictures, 1993.

Grube, Joel W. "Alcohol in the Media: Drinking Portrayals, Alcohol Advertising, and Alcohol

Consumption Among Youth." NCBI. National Research Council (US) and Institute of

Medicine (US) Committee on Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage

Drinking; Bonnie RJ, O'Connell ME. National Academies Press (US), 2004. Web. 12

Apr. 2017.

"Movies Influence Teen Alcohol Consumption More than Parents, Study Finds." Fox News

Health. Newscore, 21 February 2012. Web. 16 April 2017.

Pineapple Express. Directed by David Gordon Green, Columbia Pictures, 2008.

People Like Us. Directed by Alex Kurtzman, DreamWorks, 2012.

Project X. Directed by Nima Nourizadeh, Green Hat Films, 2012.

Stern, Susannah and Lindsey Morr. "Portrayals of Teen Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in

Recent Popular Movies." Journal of Health Communication, vol. 18, no. 2, Feb. 2013,

pp. 179-191. EBSCOhost. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.

Stern, Susannah R. "Messages from Teens on the Big Screen: Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use

in Teen-Centered Films." Journal of Health Communication, vol. 10, no. 4, June 2005,

pp. 331-346