Impact of Drug Abuse Illustrations in the Media on Youth

Abstract

By acting as an information agent, the media balances the flow of information between many remote locations of a country and issues. The media has become an essential component of our daily lives. One such societal issue is drug misuse, which is extremely worrying because it not only affects the abuser personally but also their family, social environment, and young people simultaneously. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2018) survey found that youth substance misuse is still more prevalent than that of older individuals. Any nation's progress is seen to be driven by its youth. The gateway drugs, illegal drugs, and prescription drugs are frequently exposed in the media, whether intentionally or accidentally, whether in news stories, fictitious character contexts, documentaries, or in fake commercial messaging, etc. In this study, we sought to determine the role that the media played in the problem of drug usage, both positively and negatively. Several prior studies were considered for these purposes, and social media, TV shows, movies, and documentaries were also examined. It has been noted that it gives young people idolised role models such as musical groups, sports figures, and film and TV stars. These artists sing about drugs in their songs, act out drug use in movies, live glitzy, wealthy, or even criminal lives, or they make references to drugs in their music. On the other hand, the media plays a role in spreading awareness about drugs and their usage and effects on people.