TOBACCO IN MOVIES AND IMPACT ON YOUTH - Smoke Free ...

Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
women, and children in different socioeconomic groups. Many of these strategies
circumvent the Indian tobacco advertising ban. 33
Targeting Children: Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School found that 38
percent of adolescents who tried cigarettes did so because they saw smoking in
movies, according to a study of 6,522 U.S. kids ages 10 to 14. 34
At least one character in more than two-thirds of animated feature films produced
for children over the past 60 years in the United States used tobacco or alcohol
with no indication that the practices were unhealthy. Dr. Adam O. Goldstein
reported that of the 50 animation movies reviewed 68 percent (or 34 movies),
displayed at least one episode of tobacco or alcohol use. Seventy-six characters
smoked for a total duration in all films of more than 45 minutes and 63 characters
drank alcohol for 27 minutes. He found that good characters consumed the
substances as frequently as bad characters did. The feature-length animated films
showed cigar and wine consumption most often, but cigarettes, pipes, beer, spirits
and champagne were also depicted. 35
It may be mentioned that India hardly produces any animation movies. Most of
the animation movies originate from the US and other foreign countries and are
dubbed in Hindi or other regional language. The depiction of tobacco and alcohol
affect the youngsters and influence their decision to smoke or drink in their future
life, the above mention study clearly reported. As cited earlier a relationship of
increased risk of smoking initiation with the greatest exposure to movies showing
smoking has been clearly established across all racial and ethnic groups. 29
Another study to evaluate the use of tobacco in Japanese cartoon and comic
character concluded that young adults, adolescents, and children are frequently
exposed to smoking scenes in Japanese cartoons and animations too. The
youngsters are likely to identify themselves with characters of the same sex and
age; teens with teen smokers in boys’ comics; young male adults with smokers of
main characters in the 20s or 30s in youths’ comics; young women with female
smokers in women’s comics. This is likely to increase the chances of smoking
initiation and an increasing trend of smoking among teens and young women.
Comics are a medium with influence over children and adolescents in many Asian
countries. Most comics are imported from Japan where comic magazines sell
several million copies every week. Popular titles become TV animation series or
theatrical animated films. 36 Japanese comics and animation movies are popular
and circulations are increasing in many countries including India, this raises
serious questions.
Targeting Females – a new segment in India: Studies suggest that the
tobacco companies specifically position their products to attract female smokers
from all segments, strata and age groups of society. The tobacco companies’
communications targeting females is carefully designed for younger women
stressing on female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence;
cigarette brands for older women are tailored to address the needs for pleasure,
relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses. 37
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