Smoking in films encourages teens to try cigarettes, says Bristol study
SMOKING in films encourages teenagers to try cigarettes, according to a study in Bristol.
Calls are being made for film classifiers to consider smoking when rating movies as a result of the research published last night.
Researchers at Bristol University found that teenagers are more likely to try smoking if they had seen more films where characters smoked.
More than 5,000 teenagers involved in the Children of the 90s study were asked if they had watched a selection of films.
Those who had watched the movies featuring the most images of smoking were 59 per cent more likely to have tried cigarettes than those who had watched the fewest.
A selection of 50 films was randomly selected from box office hits and 15-year-olds were asked which they had seen and whether they had tried smoking or regularly smoked. Among the films used in the study were Shutter Island, Takers and the remake of Great Expectations starring Gwyneth Paltrow.
Even when the research findings were amended to consider other factors, such as a teenager's background, they were more likely to smoke if they had seen films with more smoking.
Researcher Andrea Waylen, of the Bristol University school of oral and dental sciences, said: "We know people learn by copying what other people do and if they are going off and watching films where they are showing someone to be desirable or attractive teenagers are more likely to think 'I'll have a go at that'."
Cigarettes are no longer advertised on billboards or in newspapers and magazines but researchers think the glamorising of smoking on screen could encourage copycat behaviour.
Dr Waylen said: "We don't advertise smoking – that has been taken right out of the media.
"We advise children under 18 not to see violence or sex and want to do the same for smoking.
"When do you ever get a close-up of someone with a cigarette in their hand and their teeth are all brown and their gums are bleeding?
"We can't smell what is on screen but see Gwyneth Paltrow with beautiful red lips and a cigarette being used suggestively."
Dr Waylen's research also considered other studies on smoking in films carried out in the United States, New Zealand, Mexico and Germany, showing that the findings in Bristol reflected those around the world.
Bristol-based Cecilia Farren of South West Ash and Gasp, smoking educational support organisation, said it was good that a study had quantified the impact of smoking in films.
"I think smoking is a lazy shorthand for rebel," she said.
"Films won't allow certain swear words or certain sex scenes or drug-taking but smoking is almost the last bastion.
"It is about people believing that everyone smokes, but everyone doesn't. People have got to be responsible, just like parents who smoke are more likely to have children who smoke.
"It is about role modelling, children do what they see."
She said that changing the rating of films if smoking was heavily featured would probably make film-makers consider their use of the habit more carefully.
â The Ofcom code for depicting smoking on screen states that smoking, alcohol misuse and drug and solvent abuse should not be featured in programmes made primarily for children unless it can be justified.
And smoking should generally be avoided and should not be condoned, encouraged or glamorised in television shows aired before the 9pm watershed without justification.
23 Comments
View all
by bubbels92
Sunday, September 25 2011, 4:14PM
“kids will see people smoking everywhere they go its not because of films thats stupid who ever fault it was because of that! they should start worrying about all the half dressed girls on tv instead young girls will start coping that they will think its ok to walk out the door dressed as a ****!!! they need to get there facts right.”
by joning
Thursday, September 22 2011, 4:03PM
“''Smoking in films encourages teens to try cigarettes, says Bristol study''
No it doesn't.”
by corncups
Thursday, September 22 2011, 3:15PM
“In that case murdering people in video games causes young people to go out and murder each other in real life.
I'm sure it is not that simple, BEP.”
by blob2004
Thursday, September 22 2011, 3:03PM
“yeah thats ture that kids don't see the down side to smoking but then there are rules what we can and can't be show to our children.
I say the pics that are put on the front of the ciggerett packets should be shown to teenagers in school and all is needed is more education for children on the down side to smoking.
Also smoking is not the only thing that is galmorised these days it a matter on common sence and people making up there own mind, people shouldn't be so stupid to let flims decide on what they do with there life.
I seen this as my friend staus on facebook and it says alot about the cartoons we used to watch
Me, behave? As a child I saw Tarzan almost naked, Cinderella arrived home after midnight, Pinocchio told lies, Aladdin was a thief, Batman drove over 200 miles an hour, Snow White lived in a house with 7 men, Popeye smoked a pipe and had tattoos, Pac Man ran around to digital music while eating pills that enhanced his performance, and Shaggy and Scooby were mystery solving hippies that always had the munchies. The fault is not mine!”
by Morrissey9
Thursday, September 22 2011, 10:09AM
“Kids will still see people smoking outside the cinema, true. The point is that it can become an issue when smoking is glamorised in cinema and it shows no downside to it. I think if a child sees some sad-faced wheezing smoker shivering outside a cinema, it will put them off if anything.”
by SweenyTodd
Thursday, September 22 2011, 10:08AM
“Ohh please,
the films used were boring, and as a non smoker, the smoking scenes were probably the best bits of the film. If people wanna smoke they will. I walked past the BRI the other day, guy stood there in his jim jams, hooked up to a drip, had some kind of surgery, hole in his throat etc, yet he still sparked up . . .
Did this study look into the behaviour of soaps such as Hollyoaks, Eastenders or Corrie or the trash which is TOWIE, btw I don't watch any of the above, had to ask someone who these people were.
Well I am off to jump along high buildings as Batman does, then I am going to try and kill a rabbit like my old pal Elmer Fudd. These have a U certificate and are deemed fit for all to view, so in my ignorance and lack of thinking for myself it must be ok!”
by geeveeh
Thursday, September 22 2011, 9:49AM
“I wonder HOW much money was WASTED on this STUDY ?
People mimic what they see....hence advertising.
What a waste of time and space this story is...oh of course, it is clearly done by those who don't smoke, so they are influencing more readers. (The power of the word etc)”
by blob2004
Wednesday, September 21 2011, 8:59PM
“well just banning it from films won't help they see all the smokers outside now as they can't smoke inside, so if they ban it from films they will walk out the cinema and see it happening there any way no matter what age your child is as there aint no age limit on the outside of the cinema.
My little one is 4, none of my family smoke and never had smoked. Just a few weeks ago he has started to use pens as ciggeretts we asked him were he has seen that befor and he said oh just seen people walking around. We are no trying our best to let him know thats it horrible and not nice and that it smells really bad so he don't think it's a good thing to smoke.
Also when i pick up my eldest from school were waiting for the gates to open and what do you see about 4 - 5 mums smoking, we go to mc donalds or berger kig what do you see people smoking.
I'm not a smoker and never have been but all these silly rules and studys are getting a little bit silly now”
by Trucks79
Wednesday, September 21 2011, 11:01AM
“O dear! as if this actually happens. yes films and tv do have an impact on some people but I really cant see the 'NORMAL' teens think that just because someone does it in a film that they then have to!”
by Morrissey9
Wednesday, September 21 2011, 10:06AM
“I can kind of see their point. Certificate 15/18s are given to films where drug use, violence or alcohol are glamorised which are all potentially harmful activities. Few would complain that young children are shielded from seeing this, cigarettes are in the same category. We even have to warn of "mild peril" in cartoons...
This is just a University study, nothing will probably come of it.”