Media Influence + JUUL

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In the film, we meet Robert K. Jackler, MD, a professor at Stanford University with a huge database of tobacco advertisements. 

He expresses that it is not coincidental that JUUL advertisements look so similar to old tobacco ads from the 1920s. 

He notes that in fact, the creator of JUUL used and worked to replicate his tobacco advertising database before JUUL’s rise in popularity.

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CLIP 1

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Here are other examples of images from JUULs marketing and promotion (Show Slides 5-8)

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Discussion Questions:

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Beyond modelling their advertisements after old tobacco ads, Jackler notes the ways that JUUL and other e-cigarette companies profit off of what he calls “organic social media.”

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CLIP 2

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Discussion Questions:

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Media Influence + Alcohol

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In the film, Delaney asks multiple kids to share how often they see alcohol imagery in the content they watch. She’s surprised to learn that even in shows and movies that seem unassuming and otherworldly, like animated and fantasy films, alcohol is still present.

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CLIP 3

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Discussion questions: 

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But how much does alcohol’s presence in the media we consume impact our real-life choices and behaviors? 

LMU Psychology Professor, Joseph Labrie PhD, describes a study on two groups of young men who either watched a movie that featured a lot of drinking or watched a movie that featured very little drinking.

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CLIP 4

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Dr. Labrie explains that the men who watched the movie featuring more alcohol drank significantly more alcoholic drinks than the men who watched the movie with less alcohol imagery.

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Discussion questions:

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Real Posts about Fake Pills

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Daniel’s father decides to advocate for change after the passing of his son, though he takes a different approach.

CLIP 5

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Made clear through Daniel’s story, social media and Snapchat in particular have become a popular platform for selling and purchasing drugs. 

With very few safeguards on these platforms, underage teens are able to access substances a lot easier than ever before. 

And at the same time, fentanyl is becoming increasingly prevalent and can be added to drugs without the purchaser's knowledge.

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Because it is so potent, drug dealers use it to avoid ordering large quantities of the drug that they are promising the buyer. 

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Lacing drugs like cocaine or prescription pills with fentanyl is cost-effective for the dealer, who assumes they are creating the same psychoactive effects for a smaller price but can be deadly for the buyer, who often will have no idea that the drug they are taking has fentanyl in it.

Overdosing on fentanyl is a risk of buying any drug on the street. And with social media, drug dealing has moved from the streets to screens. 

Daniel’s father made it his mission to hold apps like Snapchat accountable for the drug dealing that goes on in their platform and often has deadly consequences. 

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Recently, Snapchat has responded to these cries for accountability with pledges to detect drug dealers and drug-related content on their app at a much quicker rate than before. 

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However, there is still a lot of work to be done and it’s crucial to stay alert to dangers of social media drug transactions.

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Distribute the Advice About Fake Pills worksheet - can be completed digitally or on paper.

• Download PDF (English) // Download PDF (Spanish)

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Using that worksheet, have students answer this prompt:

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You are mentoring a student who is two years younger than you. You hear them talking to a friend about how easy it is to find pills online. What would you want to say to them?

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Social Media Support

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In the film Alisha Moreland-Capuia, MD explains that feeling accountable to other people for our actions is a huge motivator in changing our behaviors.

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Ellie’s TikTok audience functioned as a group of people who were holding her accountable, so even on her hardest days, she made the explicit decision not to start vaping again because of her commitment and their support and motivation.

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Discussion Questions:

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Culminating Activity: Create a Campaign!

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Objective: To develop a social media campaign that provides accurate information on a topic covered in the film and encourages connection and conversation.

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Distribute the Create a Campaign worksheet

• Download PDF (English) // Download PDF (Spanish)

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Instructions:

1. Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students.
2. Choose a specific topic covered or touched on in the film, such as safety precautions to know about psychedelics or the dangers of fentanyl.
3. Each group should choose a social media platform that best suits their campaign goals (e.g. Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc.).
4. In their groups, students should create a mock-up of their social media campaign that includes:

• An attention-grabbing title or headline
• A clear message or call-to-action
• Relevant and accurate information about the chosen topic
• Visuals or media to support their message
• A hashtag or handle to encourage conversation and connection

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1. Each group should present their mock-up to the class and explain their campaign goals and message.
2. As a class, discuss the effectiveness of each campaign and provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.
3. After the presentations, students can vote on the most effective and engaging campaign.
   
   

Note: This activity can be completed in multiple class periods, with each group working on their campaign during different periods. Alternatively, it can be completed in one longer class period.

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