James D. Sargent, MD (photo courtesy of Dartmouth-Hitchcock)
Fans of some forms of popular music are hearing references to specific brands of hard liquor through their speakers and earphones, according to the latest report from Dartmouth pediatrician James D. Sargent, MD. Sargent studies mass-media influences on youth buying habits and risky behavior.
Much of Sargent’s previous research focuses on the influence of movies and visual advertising on what kinds of and how much alcohol or cigarettes adolescents buy and consume. “Teens spend a lot of time listening to music and music stars have the same sort of status as movie stars,” says Sargent, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School (DMS). “Music stars often communicate about substance use in their lyrics and music videos and also use substances onstage.”
A study with fellow Dartmouth pediatricians Susanne Tanski, MD, and Auden McClure, MD, that appeared earlier this year found underage drinkers favoring particular brands of alcohol, and tending to choose highly-advertised brands.
Read the full story at Dartmouth Medical School news.
