Influencing adolescent life style: the role of mass media.

Since 1981, the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission has been conducting a primary prevention program intended to alter the development of intoxicant use patterns in adolescents. The program uses an integrated set of approaches involving mass communications, face-to-face program elements, community action and small-scale education activities. Mass media have a unique and powerful role as one element of such a program. Able to introduce broad concepts and convey basic, general information, they can also aid in establishing an atmosphere of acceptance of critical issues. Mass media alone probably cannot alter behavior. However, they can reinforce essential arguments and legitimize the community-based, face-to-face program elements that may be able to achieve lasting behavior change.