ALCOHOL - THE MAGIC POTION
SYNOPSIS: Alcohol. No substance on the planet is so familiar to us and so unbelievably varied in its effects. It is readily available, and despite its psychoactive, adverse health effects, hardly anyone calls it a drug. But how is it that we can turn a blind eye to the three million alcohol-related deaths that happen each year? The director Andreas Pichler visits several countries, searching for answers concerning what makes us drink, what alcohol does to us, and to what extent the powerful alcohol industry and its lobbyists influence politics and society. He also presents us with ways we can turn the tide. Without being self-righteous or overly-critical, the film will have a lasting effect on the drinking habits of all who watch it.
Virtual Community Screening: Panel Discussion
On September 22, 2020, MHYP hosted a virtual screening of this thought-provoking film and community discussion with an expert panel including Harvey Milkman, the scientist who helped develop the Icelandic Model, Maite Durán from Alcohol Justice, local high school student, Sophie Taubman and Marin County Supervisor Katie Rice. You can view the panel discussion here.
Iceland Succeeds at Reversing Teenage Substance Abuse
The U.S. Should Follow Suit
“Promoting alternative recreational activities, strengthening family ties, improving self-efficacy (a person’s experience of competence and self-regard), building social competence (comfortably and responsibly relating to others), and broadening cultural experiences are the most effective strategies for delinquency and drug abuse prevention. At-risk youth can turn their lives around when exposed to and engaged in fulfilling alternatives to drugs and crime.
Iceland has succeeded at implementing these ideals on a national scale...other countries should urgently consider taking a page from their book! ”
How Iceland Saved Its Teenagers - BBC News
In 1998, 42% of Iceland’s 15 and 16 year-olds reported that they had got drunk in the past 30 days. By 2016, though, this figure had fallen to just 5% and drug use and smoking had also sharply declined. The action plan that led to this dramatic success is sometimes called “the Icelandic Model” – and strikingly, it does not focus on tighter policing or awareness campaigns to warn children off bad habits. Instead, top researchers collaborate closely with communities on initiatives like parental pledges and night-time patrols after dark, while the government invests in recreational facilities.
Harvey Milkman in the film, Alcohol: The Magic Potion
About Harvey Milkman
Harvey Milkman, Ph.D., is a psychology professor emeritus at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
From September 1992 – June 2002, he was author, principal investigator and director of Project Self-Discovery: Artistic Alternatives for At-Risk Youth, a national demonstration model funded by The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Dr. Milkman is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on the causes, consequences and treatment choices for the broad spectrum of addictive behaviors.