Movies with tobacco imagery
Given that there is a dose-response relationship
PROTECTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SMOKING IN MOVIES: POLICY OPTIONS between exposure to onscreen smoking and youth tobacco initiation, a key goal should be to reduce youths’ level of exposure (the dose) to onscreen smoking. Most youth exposure to onscreen smoking comes from smoking incidents in youth-rated films.
Because fewer children and adolescents view adult-rated films, official ratings for age-appropriateness would be an effective method to reduce adolescent exposure to tobacco use without interfering with movie content. Any future movie with tobacco imagery should be given an adult rating, with the possible exception of movies that reflect the dangers and consequences of tobacco use or depict smoking by an actual historical figure who smoked.
Older films should not be re-rated. The age of majority may vary from country to country, but in general, an “adult” rating means that individuals younger than that age (18 years of age in many countries) are not allowed to see the movie or that the viewer under the age of majority must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. In a number of other countries, an “18” or “R-18” rating would correspond directly with their age of majority. In the United States, the “R” rating (under 17 not admitted without a parent or adult guardian) comes closest to the age of majority. The next age level identified by specific ratings below these “adult” ratings typically sets a minimum age of between 13 and 15 years, e.g., PG-13 in the US. Without “adult” rating restrictions for movies with tobacco imagery, tobacco exposure would be allowed or even endorsed in films targeted to teens, those at highest risk for smoking initiation. (Indeed, in the United States the majority of youth exposure to onscreen smoking comes from PG-13 movies.)
Therefore, an appropriate adult rating (such as R-18) would be recommended for films that include tobacco imagery. Age classification systems are generally developed in accordance with national guarantees of freedom of expression. Therefore, including tobacco imagery in the existing rating framework should raise no rights or censorship issues. A rating scheme does not need to be 100% effective in reducing youth exposure to make a difference. To the extent that producers leave tobacco imagery out of films in order to obtain a youth rating in their domestic markets, these films will reduce overall exposure of youth to onscreen tobacco use in films released globally by major distributors.
STRATEGIES FOR OLDER FILMS
Films may be popular for decades after their initial release, and thus there should be some consideration of at least adding warning labels and anti-tobacco messages to DVDs and videos of older films. Most films date quickly and older films represent a small fraction of the youth market, thus it is not practical to re-rate older films.
The same factors that can prevent a country’s age classification from shaping exposure (films viewed mostly on video, widespread piracy, lack of ratings enforcement) also make impractical any attempt to ban imported films with tobacco imagery. Before they are distributed, however, imported films should include a strong antitobacco ad before the start of the film and a nopayoff notice in the final credits, backed by an affidavit from the original production companies and the distributors. They should also receive an “adult” rating.
