Torres1

Andrea Torres

English 113B

Professor Lawson

12 April 2017

Project Text Argument Proposal

Word Count: 876

Argument Proposal

In our American society, drugs and alcohol usage is accepted due to pop culture

especially in movies that make it seem glamorous. Over the past years, drugs have been

appearing more in movies and in our society. From my own experiences, the movies that I am

interested in and seen usually always have a scene involving some type of drug use. Drug use is

in all genres of movies of different ratings. Many movies contain content involving drugs and

alcohol whether the whole movie is all about drugs or if a movie contains a scene where

someone is using drugs and has little to no negative consequences and good outcomes. How are

drugs portrayed in movies and does it encourage young adults to initiate drug use?

Alcohol is the most common drug used in movies ranging from different ratings.

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 (Grube)". Movies have depicted an image that drugs are

appealing and cool. Rarely does a movie show the negative consequences that can occur because

of drug usage. Many movies contain scenes of alcohol being used for many reasons. Alcohol is
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shown to be the answer when characters are mad, sad, relaxed, stressed and even happy. When

characters get caught for drug possession, and are able to get out of trouble, they are eventually

shown reaping the benefits. This depicts an idea to the audience that it is possible to get away

with it and live well with it. Although there have been a few studies to show the connection

between portrayal of drugs in movies encouraging drug use, it isn't clear enough to show that it is

true for someone's lifetime because the studies are made in an artificial setting for a short period

of time making it difficult to suggest that it influences a person's lifetime. I plan on using this

article to show how many movies have been made containing drug scenes that have little to no

negative consequences while there are rarely any movies that show the negative outcomes of

substance abuse.

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

Popular Movies," explains how several studies show that movies play a big part in influencing

young adults to use drugs. Teenagers behaviors and attitudes toward substance abuse are

influenced by environmental factors. The more a young adult was exposed to smoking in movies,

the more likely they would initiate smoking and as they get older the more desire they would

have to experience new 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). A character that is the same age as the viewer can be an influential model.

Therefore if a young character is shown using drugs, the viewer may develop expectations on

drugs due to what is portrayed in the movie. I plan on using this article and quote to show that

there has been several studies made to show that movies can influence a young adult especially

when the character is relatable to the audience due to their age.

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Both my sources are somewhat problematic due to the fact that they both mention there

are other factors that correlate to teens using drugs. Movies influencing young adults can be a

reason for a short period of time and possibly other factors later on in their life may influence

them to be lifetime drug abusers. A few longitudinal studies have been made for this idea but it's

hard to say that portrayal of movies causes young adults to smoke due to other factors

influencing them.

I was very careful in choosing how to word my research question just how I will be

careful to word my thesis statement because of the fact that my own sources doubt themselves. I

specifically chose to say that the portrayal of drugs in movies influences young adults to initiate

smoking. I want to show my audience that a young adult that has never used any drugs before

can be influenced to begin using drugs, whether it's smoking or drinking because it can influence

them to develop expectations and see the good outcomes depicted in movies. The portrayal of

drug use in movies encourages young adults to initiate substance use.

I carefully chose to show my audience that the portrayal in movies can influence teens to

begin drug use because my audience may say well what if they already do drugs or tried it

before? If they currently use it, well movies may not make a big impact as it would for someone

that has never done it. The portrayal of drugs in most movies show the great outcome of using

drugs without showing the long term negative consequences, therefore giving an illusion of

drugs to the young viewers.

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Works Cited

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.

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, doi:10.1080/10810730.2012.688251.