Drugs and Alcohol in American Popular Culture - Essay Example

? Source Evaluation: Drugs and Alcohol in American Popular Culture The source investigated is the journal article entitled “Exposure to Cannabis in Popular Music and Cannabis Use among Adolescents,” authored by Brian A. Patrick, Erika L. Douglas and Kevin L. Kraemer. This was published by the National Institutes of Health PubMed Central in 2010 in the journal Addiction. The source is reliable and credible, and the argument it presents – that exposure to popular music with cannabis content is associated with cannabis use – is convincing because of the objectivity of the source as well as its comprehensiveness and quality of argument. As for the authors’ credentials, Dr. Primack is a faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. He is also a faculty of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and therefore he has an authority regarding adolescent behavior in the context of medical science, for adolescent behavior is the main subject of this particular study. Moreover, he is also a recipient of the Physician Faculty Scholar Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The other author, Dr. Douglas is another faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Dr. Kraemer is a third faculty member of the same medical school. Dr. Douglas and Dr. Kraemer are affiliated with the Center for Research on Health Care of the same educational institution, and so it implies that they already have considerable background on how to conduct research on health care (Primack et al.). The authors, being experts in their fields, with their medical degrees, with Primack’s expertise with adolescent medicine, and with Douglas’ and Kraemer’s experience with research on health care, make up a team of researchers that possess full credibility. The study is published by the National Institutes of Health, particularly PubMed Central and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This is a reputable institution when it comes to research on health. This source is barely 3 years old and is certainly not that old for it to be considered unreliable or obsolete. Moreover, the source provides an objective presentation and analysis of the thesis of the study. The thesis advanced by the authors based on the results of the study is that there is an “independent association between exposure to cannabis in popular music and early cannabis use among urban American adolescents” (Primack et al.). The objectivity of the presentation and analysis of data lies in three facts. First, the sample size of 1198 American and African-American students is large enough to become representative of the group of adolescents exposed to popular music with cannabis content. Secondly, the researchers used statistical analytical tools like multivariable regression, bivariate analysis, and additional analysis in the form of finding out whether there was a correlation between cannabis use and alcohol, but of which the researchers have not found any significant relationship. Thirdly, the study is objective and credible because the methods used in the study had been preapproved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board prior to the execution of the study (Primack et al.). If the procedure had not been approved by the board, it would not have been published by the NIH and it would not have been considered credible and objective. On the support to its claims, On the subject of comprehensiveness, the study was actually able to find the differences when it comes to various variables vis-a-vis the degree of correlation between exposure to popular music and cannabis use among the respondents: “Current use of cannabis was associated with higher exposure to cannabis in music, having a favorite artist with a higher number of songs with cannabis references, older age, lower grades, less demanding parenting, less supportive parenting, higher sensation seeking, and higher rebelliousness [while] ever use of cannabis was associated with higher exposure to cannabis in music…older age, Black race, lower grades, less demanding parenting, higher sensation seeking, and higher rebelliousness.” (Primack et al.) From the statement above, it is clear that the study has been comprehensive enough to consider the relationship between exposure to popular music and cannabis use among adolescents in conjunction with other variables like race, age, grades, parenting, and level of sensation seeking and rebelliousness. This makes the study very comprehensive. On the quality of the argument presented by the source, one can conclude that the argument presented by the source is indeed very convincing. This is because of the use of statistical analyses, the fact that the authors are credible in their own field of expertise and research, and the comprehensiveness of the scope of the study as it includes various other variables like race, age, parenting style and levels of sensation seeking and rebelliousness. Moreover, the logical arrangement of the facts and details as well as the clarity of the presentation and the simplicity of the language somehow brings out the scientific credibility of the author’s claims. There is no flaw of the study hidden behind flowery words or confusing statements. Everything is presented objectively and in a very practical manner. Thus, with such a quality of argument, the main argument of the authors deserves full credibility and believability: “Cannabis-specific content [of popular music] may be particularly potent” (Primack et al.). The source investigated in this paper is credible and reliable, and the argument presented by the authors is convincing. Because of the comprehensiveness of the research study, the credibility of the authors, the use of statistical analyses and the straightforward and logical organization of the study, one can indeed confidently conclude that the more you listen to popular music with cannabis content, the more likely you will expose yourself to this chemical substance. Top of Form Bottom of Form Works Cited Primack, Brian A., Douglas, Erika L. & Kraemer, Kevin L. “Exposure to Cannabis in Popular Music and Cannabis Use among Adolescents.” 2010. Addiction, 105:3 (515-523). Read More