Big Tobacco has a history of lying. For most of the 20th Century, the industry denied that nicotine was addictive and that smoking was dangerous. But in private, executives knew. Company documents prove it.

Hollywood has a history of pretending, too. That's entertainment. But over the last decade, the U.S. film industry has consistently exaggerated both the number of smokers and their social status. Rather than "reflecting reality," smoking in the movies echos the themes in tobacco company advertising and promotion. For Hollywood to ignore the record of Big Tobacco pay-offs and defend its portrayals of smoking as "free expression" is an insult to the First Amendment. It would be laughable if it were not so dangerous.

Smoking in movies has skyrocketed since 1990 when Big Tobacco promised Congress it would stop paying for brand placement in the movies.  

Smoking in PG13 movies increased 50% in the first two years (1999-2000) after Big Tobacco signed agreements with the state Attorneys General promising to end product placement in movies. Kids now get most of their exposure to smoking in PG-13 movies, not R, as used to be the case.

Smoking in the Movies Does Not Reflect Reality

• In the real world, smokers tend to be poor and less educated. In the movies, it is the powerful and successful who smoke the most.
• In the real world, smoking kills smokers.
• In the real world, smokers' families suffer while the tobacco industry accumulates billions in profts.
• In the real world, second-hand smoke kills non-smokers.
• In the real world, tobacco accounts for more suffering and death than homicide, suicide, illegal drugs and AIDS combined.