BBC NEWS | Health | Hollywood 'paid fortune to smoke'
As in the 1930s, nothing today prevents the global tobacco industry from influencing the film industry in any number of ways.[/B
By watching movies that portray smoking as an acceptable, normal, and natural behavior,
teenagers are more likely to light up. James Sargent of Dartmouth Medical School found
that teenagers who watch movies that include tobacco use are more likely to have
positive attitudes towards smoking.15 Two additional studies16, 17 found that stars who
smoke both on- and off-screen may encourage youth to smoke. The results found that
teenagers whose favorite stars use tobacco in their movies are significantly more likely to
have greater smoking experience and more favorable attitudes toward smoking than
teenagers whose favorite stars do not use tobacco on-screen. Showing both movie stars
and background actors smoking in PG-13 movies sends a message that smoking is
normal, fun, and even desirable.
Smoking in the most popular, youth-oriented, PG-13 movies is up since the
tobacco settlement.
2. Teenagers are more readily influenced by tobacco ads and/or use in films than
other age groups.
3. Tobacco companies stand to benefit financially from individuals who start to use
tobacco at an early age; 90 percent of all adult smokers begin before they are 18.
4. Tobacco companies have violated the tobacco settlement in other ways and have a
long history of marketing their products toward young and underage persons
As in the 1930s, nothing today prevents the global tobacco industry from influencing the film industry in any number of ways.[/B
By watching movies that portray smoking as an acceptable, normal, and natural behavior,
teenagers are more likely to light up. James Sargent of Dartmouth Medical School found
that teenagers who watch movies that include tobacco use are more likely to have
positive attitudes towards smoking.15 Two additional studies16, 17 found that stars who
smoke both on- and off-screen may encourage youth to smoke. The results found that
teenagers whose favorite stars use tobacco in their movies are significantly more likely to
have greater smoking experience and more favorable attitudes toward smoking than
teenagers whose favorite stars do not use tobacco on-screen. Showing both movie stars
and background actors smoking in PG-13 movies sends a message that smoking is
normal, fun, and even desirable.
Smoking in the most popular, youth-oriented, PG-13 movies is up since the
tobacco settlement.
2. Teenagers are more readily influenced by tobacco ads and/or use in films than
other age groups.
3. Tobacco companies stand to benefit financially from individuals who start to use
tobacco at an early age; 90 percent of all adult smokers begin before they are 18.
4. Tobacco companies have violated the tobacco settlement in other ways and have a
long history of marketing their products toward young and underage persons
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