Despite Ban, Actors Continue to Light Up on Screen
Authors: K. Egan
Journal: CA A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (2001)

On the big screen, more actors are smoking than ever before, in spite of a voluntary ban on cigarette product placement in US films by the tobacco industry established in 1988. Not only has the ban failed to reduce the appearance of cigarette brand names and logos, but also actors' actual use of tobacco onscreen increased from only 1% of movies prior to the ban, to 11% after, according to a study recently reported in The Lancet(2001;357:29-32). The study reviewed the content of 250 movies that were the top 25 box office hits in the US each year from 1988 to 1997. Eighty-seven percent of the films portrayed tobacco use, with 28% containing tobacco-brand appearances (i.e., when a brand name or logo appeared). The appearances were just as common in films suitable for adolescent audiences (32%) as in those for adults (35%), and were also present in movies rated for children (20%). According to the study, the brands that appeared include Marlboro (40%), Winston (17%), Lucky Strike (12%), and Camel (11%). With the exception of Lucky Strike, these are the most highly advertised brands and are the most popular with adolescents. “The appearance of cigarette brands in films, especially when endorsed by actors, is no different from other forms of cigarette advertising,” says lead author James Sargent, MD, from the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. “Any country that uses advertising restrictions to control tobacco use should restrict this practice.” The authors classified brand appearances as “endorsement” when an actor used the products. While the American Cancer Society would welcome regulations that could effectively reduce tobacco use in films, the Society is pursuing other advocacy options as well. ACS representatives are working with entertainment industry leaders to reduce on-screen tobacco use. For example, in 1998, after sending a petition of 105,000 names of California school children and their parents to Jack Valenti, President and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc., ACS met with Valenti. When asked if the Association would take action to reduce the amount of smoking in films, Valenti suggested that ACS reach out to theater owners, movie distributors, and producers, as well as to the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild, and the Screenwriters Association. Meetings were set up with these groups, and with individual directors, though results were generally disappointing. Studios such as Turner Entertainment Group and FOX established tobacco policies, but many others were noncommittal. The groups claimed that smoking is the actor's choice, to use if necessary to build his/her character. In general, they view smoking as a creative freedom issue. Rob Reiner, founder and principal of Castle Rock Entertainment, understands that ultimately studios cannot restrict these freedoms. But he is an outspoken advocate of curbing cigarette smoking by actors onscreen. “I think many actors are just not aware of the message they're sending,” says Reiner. His company has recently established a policy that would keep most actors, especially the stars who are seen as role models, from lighting up. “Unless the movie is about the drug culture or some such thing, smoking just isn't necessary. There are other ways to show that a character is anxious, nervous, neurotic, or whatever,” he explained in an interview. If an actor were to insist that the character smoke, Reiner says he personally would go on the set and talk to the actor, to make sure he or she understands the effect this decision will have on audiences. “I'd tell them, if you really feel comfortable that this could result in someone's death, then go ahead and do what you want,” says Reiner. He advocates a strong educational campaign at the three guilds—the unions for the actors, writers, and directors. “These are the artists that are creating and they are the ones that should be targeted,” says Reiner. “Getting a studio head to establish a policy is nice, but they won't police it. We have to reach the people on the set.” Reiner pointed out that Warner Brothers has also been vocal against smoking in films, and fully supports such education efforts. Although the rest of the entertainment industry's commitment to reducing on-screen tobacco use remains to be demonstrated, the ACS has made some progress with its own product placement strategy. The sets of several television shows such as “ER” and “The X-Files” include ACS anti-smoking posters, which regularly appear in the shows. But according to ACS California Division CEO Pat Felts, “The issue is complex. There is no one group that has absolute power to reduce smoking on TV and in movies. It's a matter of having meaningful discussions about public health with all the people who work to put a story on the screen. We need to all decide that there are other, better ways to build a character than with a cigarette.” ACS Chief Executive Officer John R. Seffrin, PhD considers the study's results “a cause for real concern. The failure of the voluntary ban on cigarette product placement makes it clear that more aggressive steps must be taken to protect our children. First, there must be widespread recognition of the powerful and seductive force that actors and actresses who smoke have on our impressionable youth. Next, there must be a serious commitment by all parties to reduce the glamorization of tobacco use. The entertainment industry—from actors and actresses to studios and theater owners—must make a conscious decision to stop perpetuating images that smoking is ‘hip’ and ‘cool.’ Claims of artistic integrity and creative freedom are little more than copouts when the results lead to addiction, lung cancer, and possibly death.” There must be a serious commitment by all parties to reduce the glamorization of tobacco use.