Maryland's Tobacco Resource Center - Linking Professionals to Best Practices

Smoking in Movies has an Effect on Adolescent Tobacco Use


A study from the Norris Cotton Cancer Center estimates that increased exposure to smoking in movies with a PG-13 rating contributes to the incidence of teenage smoking.  In a longitudinal study of 6,522 adolescents, exposure to smoking in movies was three times more likely to occur compared to R rated movies.  An 18% percent decrease in smoking behaviors for adolescents was predicted if movies with a PG-13 rating were given an R rating.  The researchers advise that the MPAA give equal weight to smoking exposure in PG-13 movies as is given to profanity and violence due to the harmful effects of smoking.