On-Screen images of Smoking
I am a smoker. I have been smoking for a few years now. The rebellious 16-year old Honey decided it would be cool to pick up. But now, it is just an annoying habit I wish to get rid of. I’m sure some of the smokers out there understand what I’m talking about. I always tell myself, I’m going to quit (normally after I’ve finished my current packet of cigarettes). I’m never going to pick up a cigarette again. Not even a puff. I’m determined to stay clean of nicotine. So, the day after I finish my pack, I walk around without a cigarette in hand. After meals times, I don’t crave for a cigarette. Even when someone is smoking around me, I get turned off just from breathing in second-hand smoke. I pay more attention to the negative details of smoking like the smell and how it stays on your clothes and hair.
So far, so good.
Until, I go home. I switch on the television. I tune into one of my favourite tv programmes, Sexy and the City. And I watch as Sarah Jessica Parker lights up her cigarette so elegantly. How enticing! See, I don’t understand why, but watching her smoke makes me want to light up too (even though I had gone a whole day without it).
Studies have shown that one of the appealing factors of smoking in movies is the connection it has with attributes such as enjoyment, attractiveness, glamour or power. Other studies have also shown that smoking in movies have weakened the resolve of young people to not smoke. In examples such as Grease, smoking is also linked with the imagery of sex appeal, emotional content and power. In movies such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, smoking is related to body-image control (whether it works or not, is a different issue altogether). That is, smoking is often connected with appealing and positive factors which encourage young people to smoke.
However, recent studies also show that there are ‘casual links’ between smoking in movies and becoming a smoker. The study also argues that with the emphasis of smoking images with anti-smoking advertisements, initiates counterproductive action. That is, with smoking images being highlighted, smoking can become more appealing towards young people and may reinforce smokers’ intentions to smoke.
One of the popular arguments of on-screen smoking is the particular rating of movie which is popular among young people and its content of smoking. That is, the movies which are popular among young people have higher content of smoking in them. However, recent studies have countered this notion by saying that independent movies have higher content of smoking in them hence, ratings of movies are not a factor.
Therefore, to a certain extent, Sarah Jessica Parker’s smoking may be enticing but on-screen smoking is only a weak connection to smokers. On-screen smoking may be tied in with positive characteristics such as glamour, power, attractiveness and enjoyment which make it appealing for young people but highlighting smoking with anti-smoking advertisements also have a reinforcing impact on smokers. Ratings of movies also have a weak connection between young people and smoking. Just because they are popular among the young, does not mean that these movies encourage them to smoke. Henceforth, on-screen smoking should not be solely blamed for smokers’ behaviours.
How do I know this?
Escamilla G, Cradock AL, Kawachi I, “Woman and Smoking in Hollywood Movies: A Content Analysis”,
American Journal of Public Health, 2000, 90: 412414.
Clarkson, Watson, Donovan, Giles-Corti, University of WA, 2002, unpublished (as cited on ASH Australia website),
http://www.ashaust.org.au/ (accessed 17 November 2003).
Sullum, J., “Do Movies Cause Smoking: Snuffing out another nanny state myth”, Reason Magazine online,
http://www.reason.com/news/show/33164.html (accessed 5 September 2007).
Luik, J, “Films”, Forces International Online,
http://www.forces.org/research/luik/files.htm (accessed 24 August 2007).
