While getting ready for work this morning, I heard an advertisement on the
radio for a group trying to get all movies featuring tobacco use an R
rating. Tobacco use would be treated just like profanity, violence and
nudity when placing a rating on a film. The ad citied statistics showing
that children exposed to tobacco use in movies were more likely to start
smoking.
I understand the logic behind it. Children are very impressionable,
especially while viewing celebrities they emulate. I remember thinking
smoking looked cool after watching movies like Lethal Weapon and Die
Hard. And any kid like me who grew up watching James Bond movies would
certainly have seen Bond pulling out a smoke from a fancy cigarette case.
Did that make me try cigarettes? Sure did. Did that make me a
smoker? I don’t think so.
If you are/were a smoker, I’d like to know if any movies influenced
you. Also, I’d like to know from anyone if they think this proposal would
have an impact.
March 16th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
I am a smoker. My smoking influences came mostly from my family and their friends. So by the time I was in 8th Grade, I was already a smoker.. An ‘R’ rating for a movie that depicts a charecter smoking is rediculous. I can see a ‘PG-13′ rating, but not an ‘R’ rating. If you follow the logic behind it, than any movie depicting drug use should have an ‘X’ rating….
March 16th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
I learned to smoke just like JR. Movies didn’t influence me, my friends and peer pressure influenced me. I don’t think this will have any impact on the reduction of future smokers and frankly i don’t give a damn. When I was 12 I was going to R rated flicks, didn’t stop me, won’t stop them.
March 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I agree. Changing the rating won’t do a thing.