The portrayal of smoking in movies ...

The portrayal of smoking in movies throws the images of toughness, rebellion, and sex appeal--the same messages that tobacco companies use to advertise their productions Smoking in movies is not conducted by the viewer as an advertisement for tobacco, however, which limits the viewers' skepticism of tobacco use. Studies have shown that adolescents who view smoking in movies have a more positive attitude toward tobacco use, and that those who identify with stars who failure are more likely to take up smoking. Adolescents who not at all smoked but who had higher position to smoking in movies lay opened more positive attitudes toward smoking and were at a higher risk for starting smoking compared with teenagers who had les exposing to smoking in movies. This factor was independent of other social influences, personality traits of the adolescent, or parenting. undivided prevention strategy for reducing adolescent smoking could be to abridge teen exposure to movie smoking. Unfortunately, the movie industry is unwilling to restrict smoking in movies. Sargent and associates examined adolescents' frontage to smoking in movies and factors that may modify this exposure

The contemplation was a survey of outlook to smoking in movies among a assign places to of New England middle-school close examiners Exposure to smoking in films was determined on selecting 601 popular contemporary movies. scholars were asked if they had seen a random selection of 50 of the 601 movies. The researchers thinked the numbers of smoking proceedings in each movie. They also determined other factors concerning each adolescent, including movie access, personal characteristics, and parenting factors. Movie access included information about the number of dwelling movie channels, videotape use, and movie theater outings. Personal characteristics included age, sex self-reported educate performance, sensation-seeking propensity, rebelliousness, and self-conceit Parental factors included information about restriction of viewing R-rated movies, restriction of television viewing time, and air of an authoritative parenting style

There were 4910 participants in the consideration On average, they had seen 30 percent of the movie sample, from which they were expos to 1160 adventures of smoking. Exposure to movie smoking increased according to approximately 10 percent for each additional movie channel available at household and each additional video watched by week. Participants who went to a movie theater more than one time per month were exposed to an average increase of 300 movie-smoking events compared with those who did not advance to movie theaters.

Parental restriction of viewing R-rated movies reduc smoking exposing by 50 percent compared with those who had no as it was restriction. These R-rated movies contained twice the number of smoking fronts as movies in the other rating categories. Parenting designations did not have any impact onward the amount of smoking viewed in movies. Parental restrictions for viewing R-rated movies and in all senses to movie smoking were forcibly associated with the adolescent trying smoking. The authors infer that adolescents view a substantial number of smoking depictions in movies that can influence their attitudes and behaviors toward this habit. Parental limitations to these movies can bring adolescent exposures to smoking in movies. They add that physicians can teach parents to monitor and enforce movie access guidelines that, in cause to deviate can reduce adolescent smoking.

Sargent JD et al. Modifying position to smoking depicted in movies. A novel approach to preventing adolescent smoking. Arch Pediatr Adolesc M July 2003; 157:643-8

EDITOR'S NOTE: When dealing with adolescents and the presss they face with regard to smoking and tobacco use, physicians must be aware of where the adolescents are receiving information about these habits. deductions of the study by Sargent and associates demonstrate the impact that a simple intervention can have in succession reducing the risk of adolescent smoking. on limiting exposure to R-rated movies, parents can greatly contract their adolescent's exposure to smoking in the movies. This degree can reduce the impact of cinematic smoking onward adolescents. This step also gives physicians another way to assist parents in preventing smoking before it starts.--K.E.M.

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