Issue No. 69 - March - April 2012 - DOH

show smoking scenes. For decades, these arethe images the tobacco industry use in theirmarketing in the hope that young peoplewill take part in the exciting lifestyles of therich and the glamorous, that they will adoptthe behaviors they see in these charactersdepicted in the movies.In “Yesterday, Today,Tomorrow,” the message the lady bossblurts out to her colleagues in a tiring officemeeting that it is time to smoke showedsmoking is a way to relax and relieve thosepent-up stress. But the idea that smokingrelieves stress is a myth; rather than helpsmokers relax, nicotine actually increasesanxiety and tension, says PsychologistAndy Parrott, whose findings have beenpublished in the medical journal AmericanPsychologist. He explained, “Regular smokersneed nicotine to maintain normal moods asthey suffer tension between cigarettes.”Meanwhile, in the presentationof tobacco in the MMFF entries that havesmoking scenes or dialogues, there is nomessage that reflects the dangers andconsequences of tobacco use.The Tobacco Atlas (2009) publishedby the American Cancer Society and theWorld Lung Foundation noted that tobaccomarketing increases cigarette consumptionand seduces new smokers into addiction,negating public health efforts to controltobacco. The World Health OrganizationFramework Convention on Tobacco Control(WHO FCTC), the first global public healthtreaty, recommends that “Parties (orcountries) recognize that a comprehensiveban on advertising, promotion andsponsorship would reduce the consumptionof tobacco products.”In the Philippines, the TobaccoRegulation Act of 2003 (Republic Act 9211)prohibits only mass media advertisingon television, radio, print and outdoorbillboards. Advertising and promotions areallowed at points of sale. Limited sponsorshipis also allowed. Partial restrictions, like inthe Philippines, are proven to be ineffectivein reducing smoking because tobaccocompanies redirect their marketing effortsto available venues, like the movies.In the December 2006 issueof Archives of Pediatrics and AdolescentMedicine, a study “The Extent to WhichTobacco Marketing and Tobacco Use in FilmsContribute to Children’s Use of Tobacco,”found that depictions of smoking in moviesare more psychologically powerful thancigarette advertisements and have a greaterimpact on children’s attitudes and behaviorsregarding smoking. The research looked at51 studies and found that media exposureto tobacco use increases the odds of youthtaking up smoking almost threefold.Alas, even with severalscientifically-proven evidences all over theworld, many in the Philippine entertainmentindustry do not realize nor believe the impactthat smoking in media has on influencingbehaviors among children and adolescents.Even the self-professed non-smoker andnon-drinker since birth, Cesar Montano, apopular action star who led an anti-smokingfun run in Manila on November 26, 2011,would not tuck in a smoking scene in anyof his movies if the scene or the role callsfor it. He said in one published news report,“I believe that if a scene requires that acharacter has to smoke, the act should beallowed. People should be able to draw theline between being oneself and playing arole.”What Can be DoneAlas, no movie in the Film Festival depicts true images and messages of the health hazards of smoking,like oral cancer as seen in a patient above.Internationally, there is noconsensus yet on what should be doneabout smoking on TV and in films. Often,the issues being raised are those of artisticfreedom and being truthful/factual (becauseordinary people do smoke), especially whendealing with historical films wherein famouspeople known to have smoked are portrayedor many people of that time/place smoked.Critics of censorship will also ask why alcoholor violence should not be treated in the sameway.In Thailand, the act of smokingand any lit cigarette is prohibited on screen,such that any TV shows or movies (includingimported movies) that have smoking scenes30 HEALTHbeat I March - April 2012