According to a study conducted by Donald F. Roberts of the Thomas More Storke school of Communication, tobacco, alcohol, and substance use is present in a large percentage of popular media, including music and movies. (Robinson) This study is a primary source used by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in condemning popular music. According to this study, 98 percent of movies and 27 percent of songs had depictions of alcohol, tobacco or illicit drug use. The sources used for this study's sample of music was a thousand of the most popular songs from 1996 and 1997 as determined by Billboard, Radio and Records magazine and the College Music Journal, and the five genres of music used were country western, alternative rock, top-40, rap and heavy metal. Roberts thought the study revealed less illicit drug use in music than he expected, which is perhaps tell-tale of the mindset of most Americans: assuming that most music is about terrible things like drugs before actually taking a listen. According to Barry R. McCaffery of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, "These findings underscore the potential for the entertainment industry to play a key role in protecting our kids from the dangers of drugs through realistic depiction - portraying illicit drug use, and all substance abuse, as unglamorous, dangerous and socially unacceptable." (Robinson)

The adverse reaction of various groups of people to the inclusion of drug-related content in musical lyrics, in the 1960's and today, may be explained by a phenomenon known as Moral Panics. Moral panics are a condition, episode, person or group of people which "emerge to become defines as a threat to societal values and interests." (Wood) When there is a significant change in society, many people react in fear that there will be a loss of control and downfall of society, and this is when moral panics often occur. "This was evident during the 1960s when society experienced such modernizing trends as the so called 'sexual revolution'. When events, such as those found in the 1960's, occur there is a concern that moral standards are in decline and entire generations can sometimes be accused of undermining society's moral structure." (Wood) The moral panic may be a new event, or it may be something which has existed within our society for a long time and is just now become a concern -- such as the subversive contents of lyrics. Often, moral panics results in official changes, laws, or policies being passed, despite the spark being a momentary uprise in fear. Like the fear that drug-content in lyrics causing people to use drugs, which has not been substantiated, the underlying causes of moral panics usually have little to do with the subject on which the concern is forced; the issue reflects a more general concern about society collapsing. This type of scapegoating has very negative connotations for society, and the media particularly will distort and exaggerate how dangerous something is. Often, this will be done to distract attention from a real problem, like the War on Drugs is used to distract from government failings and unfair policies. Moral panics can be linked to the music of past decades as well, seen as immoral and threatening to the norms of conventional society. In the 1950s and 1960s, rock and roll was a terrifying change for many people, and rumours were rampant that it would lead to horribly dangerous, violent, promiscuous, and immoral behavior. "The 'drug culture' of the 1960s led to far-reaching anxiety, and it was widely believed that an entire generation would become 'crazed' addicts. The issue of drugs and music in the 1960s led to the persecution of many pop stars who were perceived as having a highly corrupting influence upon the youth of the day and, as will be discussed later in the essay, this aspect of moral panics can be relate

Some common words found in the essay are:
War Drugs, Control Policy, Palumbo Palumbo, Panics Moral, Travis Gregory, Harry Anslinger, Committee Communications, Rabkin Drugs, Inch Nails, Drugs DECS, percent songs, drugs music, drug references, popular music, moral panics, percent songs drug, content music, songs drug references, songs drug, music lyrics, illicit drug, war drugs, drug content music, popular music travis, music travis gregory,
Approximate Word count = 2973
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)