“Each time a member of the [film] industry releases another movie that depicts smoking, it does so with the full knowledge of the harm it will bring to children who watch it.”

— Letter to studio heads from 31 Attorneys General, May 1, 2007

“The MPAA’s adoption of a highly subjective policy is not enough to curb the influence of smoking in the movies on the health of children.”

— Letter to MPAA from US Senators Durbin, Kennedy, and Lautenberg, June 22, 2007

Hollywood has spent years denying that its movies recruit kids to smoke. Now, under pressure from top prosecutors, parents, public health experts and young people themselves, the Motion Picture Association of America has announced that smoking will be “considered” in ratings.

But nearly six months after the MPAA's announcement, no movie has been rated "R" for smoking; scenes of kids smoking is being rated PG; and tobacco impressions delivered by PG-13 movies has tripled over the the same period last year. (See October 14, 2007 report on MPAA tobacco ratings.) .

Getting tobacco out of future G, PG and PG-13 films could be one of the most powerful health interventions in the last fifty years. And the last thing Hollywood needs is to act as the de facto marketing arm of tobacco, an industry convicted of racketeering in federal court.

Six major companies could make youth-rated movies smokefree tomorrow. None has made an unambiguous pledge to do so (Status Report as of August 9, 2007). Check out their track records. Get the full story from this web site. Then start applying some pressure of your own...

Record | Contact Record | Contact Record | Contact

Record | Contact Record | Contact Record | Contact