by Barry R. McCaffrey

About the author: Barry R. McCaffrey is the former director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

What we see and hear in the entertainment media influences our beliefs about the world around us. Today's adolescents are deeply immersed in popular culture as it is conveyed through various forms of media. On average, American children are exposed to at least eight hours of media per day including television, radio, movies, recorded music, comics, and video games. The ubiquitous presence of the media in our lives is underscored by the following statistics:

• Ninety-eight percent of American households have a television set. Among households with children, nearly 87 percent have two or more television sets, and 66 percent of American children have a television set in their bedrooms.

• Children spend about 28 hours per week watching television...