There's a growing body of research that shows growing depictions of smoking in movies, and that kids who watch lots of movies smoke more than those who don't, even after the studies control for social class and measures of parental strictness and supervision. The tobacco industry, starved of orthodox advertising vehicles, sees product placement in movies as a lifeline.
The Australian Medical Association is now suggesting that state and federal government funding be withdrawn from films that "glamorise, feature or promote smoking". Simon Chapman had the story for Crikey today.
Do you agree that actors smoking in films encourages smoking? Should smoking be drummed off the screen? And should we be denying funding to films which feature smoking, or is the AMA off-base on this one?
