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FILM INDUSTRY TRADE GROUP FAILS TO PROTECT AMERICAN YOUTH
3/13/2007
Joint Statement from the American Heart Association, American Medical Association (AMA), AMA Alliance, American Legacy Foundation, American Lung Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C. – While it updates its voluntary rating system, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) remains conspicuously silent on smoking in movies.
Late last year, the MPAA promised the state Attorneys General a comprehensive response to the problem of smoking in movies. Today, in Las Vegas, while announcing other refinements to the voluntary rating system, the MPAA and its partner, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), said nothing about movie smoking — the fifth year in which the industry’s trade group has failed to respond to mounting evidence of widespread harm.
Research studies show that smoking in movies is associated with youth starting to smoke. The majority of the American public agrees that smoking in movies influences teens to smoke: 70 percent already back an R-rating for new movies with smoking. Four thousand youth try their first cigarette every day; another 1,000 become daily smokers each day.
While parents must and do play a role in protecting their children’s health, the MPAA cannot evade its urgent responsibility to genuinely address the negative health effects of tobacco on screen, a major recruiter of new young smokers in the U.S.
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QUOTES FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY:
“The MPAA continues to ignore the gravity of the health threat that on-screen smoking poses to children and teens,” said American Medical Association (AMA) Board Chair Cecil B. Wilson, M.D. “It is time for the MPAA to do what is right and implement evidence-based policies for R-ratings that permanently and substantially reduce adolescent exposure to on-screen smoking. We owe this protection to our nation’s children.”
"Smoking should be eliminated from youth-rated films unless the health effects are clearly depicted and hard-hitting youth smoking prevention messages should precede movies where smoking is present regardless of rating," said Cheryl Healton, Dr. PH., president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation, whose truth® campaign has been credited with accelerating the decline in youth smoking in its first two years (2000-2002). "If the MPAA and National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) are truly serious about countering the negative effects of smoking in movies, they will work with experts in public health who are devoted to this cause to ensure that their efforts have the intended effect. Hundreds of thousands of young lives are at stake."
“We need strong policies to protect our children and teens," said Paul G. Billings, Vice President, National Policy and Advocacy, American Lung Association.
"Smoking in the movies is a serious public health concern that requires the MPAA to take immediate strong action by requiring all movies with smoking be rated R," said Matt Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Studies have found that smoking is far more prevalent in movies than in real life and is presented in a considerably more positive way. This depiction of smoking in the movies reinforces tobacco industry marketing and contributes in a significant way to youth tobacco use."
“As a parent, I am extremely concerned about the new adolescent smokers recruited each year by the U.S. movie industry,” “The AMA Alliance, representing parents and members of the medical community, calls on the chief executive officers of media companies to cease tobacco in all youth-rated movies,” said AMA Alliance President Nita Maddox.
CONTACT:
American Heart Association
Suzanne Ffolkes, 202-785-7929, suzanne.ffolkes@heart.org
American Medical Association
Melissa Smith, 312-464-4443, melissa.smith@ama-assn.org
AMA Alliance
Kim Arndt, 312-464-4473, kim.arndt@ama-assn.org
American Legacy Foundation
Laura Cruzada, 202- 341-0324, lcruzada@americanlegacy.org
American Lung Association
Hallema Sharif Clyburn, 212-315-8727, hclyburn@lungusa.org
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Joel Spivak, 202-296-5469, jspivak@tobaccofreekids.org