“It’s banned; James banned”—was the header of the article in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week. It was made in reference to the debate about whether or not smoking should be allowed in mainstream movies, as many believe it influences young viewers to do the same.
The NSW Cancer Council is currently campaigning against smoking in movies, before the release of “Bobby,” a 1960s drama in which a Marlboro cigarette packet is clearly displayed in the hand of a character for at least 30 seconds. The Smoke Free Movie Coalition claims this is direct advertising and are outraged at the message it is sending to young viewers.
In no way do I condone smoking—I am an avid supporter of the anti-smoking campaign. Yet I do have a small problem with this proposal.
Back in the late 50s and well into the 70s, smoking was considered the norm in civil society. Classics such as Casablanca and The Godfather would not have been the same without the occasional puff. Smoking was seen as a symbol of seduction or power. What would a mafia boss be without his cat and his cigar? Soldiers of war used cigarettes as a bonding and communal experience, and inmates used them as a means to barter. The scene and setting of such movies would not have been accurate without the use of wispy clouds of cigarette smoke.
The 2005 film ‘Thank You for Smoking’ examines this idea in a comedic style. Yet the movie raises a good point—who do we blame? The cigarette companies? The movie distributors? Ourselves? Where do we draw the line between ‘I’m just doing my job’ and our responsibility to the public?
Personally, I don’t think that young people are truly that impressionable. But I could be wrong. No doubt famous actors have the same influence on teens as they always have, but surely social and familial influences must play a role as well.
The problem now is finding a way to reduce the amount of people who are turning to smoking, but how do we do that? Clearly current campaigns of placing graphic pictures and not-so-subtle slogans on cigarette packets aren’t working, nor are the copious number of television advertisements warning that ‘every cigarette is doing you damage’. How do we get the message across? Is it even possible?
I don’t claim to have the answer, and to be honest; I really don’t know what can be done about it. All I know is that if Audrey Hepburn were to stare into the windows of Tiffany’s without her cigarette in its long, black and elegant cigarette holder, it just wouldn’t feel right.
How do I know this?
Tobacco in Movies,
http://www.smoke-free.ca/movies/action.htm
NSW Cancer Council,
http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/editorial.asp?pageid=1409
Sydney Morning Herald,
http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/its-banned-james-banned-spy-stubs-out-cigs/2007/03/02/1172338882884.html
Life Matters (ABC),
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2007/1863594.htm
