Studies of recent Hollywood movies show that smoking continues to be three times more frequent on screen than off. What's more, it's the rich, powerful and glamorous who smoke in movies, when in reality it's the young, depressed, poor and least educated who smoke. It doesn't matter if the good guys or the bad guys smoke. U.S. movies are a major vehicle for multinational tobacco companies seeking global market share. Their biggest future profits are in countries where smoking's harm is little known - places where the Marlboro Man has replaced Uncle Sam as the American icon, thanks in large part to Hollywood movies.
Censorship is poison, too.
Run strong anti-tobacco ads in front of smoking movies. Put them on tapes and DVDs, too. Strong spots are proven to immunize audiences. Quit identifying tobacco brands - in the background or in action. Brand names are unnecessary.