A significant amount of research
shows that exposure to movie imagery
of tobacco smoking by attractive movie
stars is among the strongest factors
that leads non-smoking adolescents to
get into this highly addictive habit.
Each day, nearly 4,000 children and
adolescents smoke their first
cigarette. One thousand of them become
addicted smokers, facing a lifetime of
medical conditions from which over
400,000 die each year.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has
expressed concern at the Motion
Picture Association of America’s
recent statement that the association
will “consider smoking as a factor” in
ratings, will not effectively prevent
children from being exposed to
on-screen smoking.
Considering the potent effect of
motion pictures in persuading children
and teens to smoke, a number of
organisations have called upon the
Motion Picture Association of America
to act immediately to eliminate
depiction of tobacco smoking from
films accessible to children and
youth. The organisations include the
American Academy of Pediatrics, other
leading organisations of health
professionals in the United States, 32
state attorneys-general, and the
Harvard School of Public Health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends the following four steps to
help reduce smoking initiation among
children and youth:
- Require an R rating for all new
films portraying smoking (unless
they show smoking by a real
historical figure who actually
smoked).
- Convey an effective anti-smoking
message before all films portraying
smoking.
- Certify that no payments were
made for tobacco product placements
in the film.
- Eliminate brand identifications.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
is an organisation of 60,000
primary-care paediatricians,
paediatric medical sub-specialists and
paediatric surgical specialists
dedicated to the health, safety and
well being of infants, children,
adolescents and young children.
