Influence of music on youth behaviors.

Young people who listen to hip hop and rap may be more likely to engage in substance abuse and aggression than those who listen to other types of music, such as country and western or the top 40. According to a new study funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, frequent exposure to music that contains references to violence and substance use is significantly associated with illicit-drug use, problems with alcohol and aggressive behaviors in young people. A positive association was also found between listeners of reggae or techno and alcohol and illicit drug use.

The study raises questions about current marketing techniques using popular rap and hip hop artists to deliver key advertising messages that promote alcoholic beverages. According to a press release issued by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), Meng-Jinn Chen, Ph.D., the study's lead investigator and research scientist at PIRE, stated that "People should be …