A Quick Summary:

Last week, The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) may soon be considering scenes in movies depicting smoking as another determining factor in rating films. Anti-Tobacco activists have been urging censors give a mandatory R rating to a film as soon as one of the actors lights up on screen. Though this approach may not be adopted by the MPAA, the association is trying to find a method to add smoking to their list of elements considered in ratings. The association has been implemented for nearly 40 years to help inform parents about film contents and appropriateness for younger audiences.

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I think that this falls into the same category as the concern over how easily children could recognize Joe Camel from a pack of Camel cigarettes. Even though the dromedary mascot was intended to make Camel cigarettes more marketable to males between the ages of 25-49, a report by the Journal of the American Medical Association (1991) revealed the strong impression left on children. Apparently more children between the ages of 5 and 6 could recognize Joe Camel than could recognize Mickey Mouse or Fred Flintstone.

Based on this article from CNN.com, 52% of young people who start smoking say that part of the reason they pick up the habit is because they see it in movies. Of course a movie can't make a teenager addicted to nicotine– but could it be a determining factor for half (52%!) of the new smoking generation?

Just think about the different ways that actors or "stars" can influence trends in hair, dress and lifestyle. There are dozens of magazines that can freely attest to this everytime you walk through the checkout line in a grocery store. For the most part, following the trends set by stars, film makers and their stylists can bring fun, positive change– but at times, it includes glamourizing habits like smoking.

Is this really any different than the influence mascots for brands like Camel have had on children? It's a matter of age: movies definitely would have a greater impact on older children and teenagers, whereas the animated-styled mascots would appeal younger children. For young adults, the power of influence coupled with the desire for acceptance may be more of an impact than previously suspected.

It seems only natural that constantly surrounding children with images of smoking, whether it be in movies or reality, is going to influence their decision to smoke. Likewise, it is only reasonable to assume that this trend is going to help raise a new generation of smokers, cancer patients and mortality statistics.

The decision to rate movies based on on-screen smoking reflects the growing awareness of smoke related health concerns. Out of 534 movies reviewed for the CNN newscast that germinated the article, 74% of them contained smoking (and most of the movies reviewed were PG).

Considering the health problems caused by smoking, many would agree that preventative measures are better than having to find solutions to addiction and illnesses linked to it.