What is Your Teen Watching? Less Tobacco Ads, But More Alcohol Ones

Ridding television advertisements of tobacco content is certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to influencing America's youth. However, a new study shows that teens may be seeing even more drinking adds than before, which can lead to confusion and temptation with the drug.

Scientists studied the placement and prevalence of alcohol and tobacco products in 1,400 films that were among the top 100 box-office hits in the U.S. between 1996 and 2009.

According to the researchers, smoking and the appearance of tobacco products dropped during that period, by 42.3 percent in youth rated movies and by 85.4 percent in adult rated movies, while the appearance of alcohol increased.

The scientists credit the decline in movie smoking products to the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) in 1998, which forced the tobacco industry to reign in some of its marketing tactics and fund anti-smoking advocacy groups, which also curbed the appearance of smoking in films.

However, the same wasn't true for alcohol. In fact, during the study period, it shows that alcohol brand product placement went up  in youth rated movies from 80 to 145 each year. 

These placements show adolescents' decisions regardnig smoking and drinking may not be clear. However, a 2012 analysis from six European countries states that teens who watch movies with advertisements regarding alcohol are more likely to binge drink. Still, the study didn't confirm that the drinking on screen was linked to adolescent's habis. However, researchers conclude that teens who watch drinking sceens are more likely to imitate what they see. 

The results for the study can be found in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.