Why Smoke- Free Cinemas?

Smoking in cinema has been a highly debated issue. Anti-smoking activists have been against the portrayal of film stars as smokers, as they felt this would have a negative influence on the society. Hollywood highlights smoking as being part of glamor. Macho heroes and seductive heroines smoke and indicate their masculinity or feminity by puffing away.

Political Repercussions of Smoking in Cinema:

The U.S. Senate has taken this issue up in all seriousness and felt something should be done. Their argument against smoking was :

Teenagers were influenced by the smoking habits of the film stars
Increase in tobacco placement in the movies
Particular brands are appearing more in movies and teenagers are also beginning to smoke these

Concerted Action against Smoking in Cinema:

Several groups have raised their voice against smoking in cinema:

Anti-smoking campaigns have been organized condemning smoking by film stars
Attorneys have been applying pressure on the Motion Pictures Association of America not to depict smoking in cinema
The tobacco industry has also cooperated by preventing the display of its products in films

The American Legacy Foundation, which sponsors anti-smoking campaigns, with the assistance of the American Health Association and World Health Organization has requested Hollywood to adopt:

All movies that depict smoking should be given a “R” rating
Avoid identification of tobacco brands in movies
To show anti-smoking spots before movies that highlight smoking
They should also show that the producers did not receive anything in value from the tobacco industry for showing smoking

Response to such efforts:

Walt Disney Company has explicitly announced that it would not allow the depiction of smoking.
Universal Pictures has also been considering whether to reduce or eliminate altogether the depiction of smoking in films for the youth

Such efforts show the seriousness of smoking being shown in movies. As it is in many countries, public smoking has been banned and those who are against smoking have raised their voice against any public display of smoking. Children, after all, are young and can get carried away by the actions of their favorite hero.

Why Smoke- Free Cinemas?

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