ABSTRACT
In fact, a certain amount of blame for dramatic increases in substance abuse has, in recent years, been laid at our doorstep. Many media advocates, social scientists, and government leaders believe that the portrayals of smoking, drinking, and drug use contribute to making these problems worse. This chapter examines how substance abuse issues can crop up and be emphasized and re-emphasized throughout the film's development and production process. The protests of big tobacco companies notwithstanding, medical science has firmly established that cigarettes KILL people. A filmmaker's portrayal of substance use and abuse is a complex and controversial issue. A series of studies conducted by researchers at Stanford University and Lewis and Clark College determined that substances—particularly alcohol and tobacco—are ubiquitous in contemporary films popular among teens. A comparison reveals that substance use is substantially less likely to be portrayed in television series than in movies.
