WHO wants higher age rating for films with smoking scenes
To better protect children and adolescents from the temptation of cigarettes, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for an increase in the age rating for movies featuring actors who smoke.
Studies in the USA have shown that such films encourage 37 percent of new young smokers to pick up a cigarette, explains the WHO in its "Smoke-free Movies Report" presented on Monday night.
"Smoking in films can act as strong advertising for tobacco products," said WHO Director Douglas Bettcher. In view of advertising bans and sales restrictions, films in cinemas, television and the Internet are one of the last opportunities to expose millions of people to images of smokers and tobacco products.
Smoking was reported in 36% of all Hollywood films released for young people in 2014, and in 44% overall. In the same year, the US health authority CDC estimates that six million young people in the USA alone may have been tempted to smoke by films. Around two million of them could die from tobacco-related diseases.
In addition to higher age ratings for "smokers' films", studios should be banned from showing real cigarette brands, according to the WHO. "Strong anti-smoking advertising" should be mandatory before films with smoking scenes. (SDA)
