Tobacco companies have a problem - how do they replace all the smokers who are dying? They have to advertise smoking tobacco, but opposition to smoking is increasing everywhere. So where does smoking get pushed? Answer: Hollywood.
Hollywood film companies and Big Tobacco are together making a killing - millions of kids worldwide are learning through films and dvds that smoking is 'normal” and 'cool”.
Opposition to tobacco ads in movies is strong, especially from 'Smoke Free Movies” centred on a San Francisco Professor of medicine. 'Smoke Free Movies” wants tobacco out of Hollywood completely, however it's making slow progress, in spite of support from Politicians, Health Authorities, and many others.
More information on the website 'smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu” but be prepared for horrifying statistics. It can even tell which film stars are most likely to be seen smoking in films. Tauranga parents have a right to know their kids are watching films that include smoking.
Written in memory of all the funeral ceremonies conducted for people who died young from smoking.
Roger Hey (Rev.) Ohauiti.
1 comment
Pumping smoke through movies
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:14 | By algail
Granted some people die young following smoking but often the death is not entirely due to smoking which mat have hurried a condition or syndrome up. Just bear in mind that if smoking caused the death of everyone who smoked there would be no older generation round right now. Back in the 50s and 60s most people smoked. My late wife who didn't smoke used to come home from her work place stinking of cigarette smoke and she didn't smoke , most of the people she worked with are still alive today in their 70s and 80s and still smoking . Statistics are an alarmingly manipulative great way to use misinformation regarding the misfortune of those who lose their lives to meet their own philosophical views on smoking. Statistic are gathered in many ways and at times do mislead the public. Let's look at smoking the statistics of something like 5000 a year dying due to smoking in NZ they never mention the age of these people. When it goes on ones record that one is a smoker even if they die at 100 years of age their death will be irrationally linked to smoking. Lets now look at the statistics of the disabled everyone who has an injury that brings about he loss of even a finger tip goes on the disabled list people like me who have lost two fingers are on that list and I am not disabled at all. Why should seeing someone smoking in a movie make the young want take up smoking?. Do they take up killing people as shown in movies do they explode bombs in public places because they saw it in a movie or on TV do they go out their hundreds or thousands and commit rape because they saw it in a move. It is a ridiculous claim to say that people take up smoking because they saw someone else smoking. People can be seen every day smoking what is the difference between seeing someone relaxing on the beach and smoking and seeing the same person on a screen. I wonder do many people recall how when TV3 first started it was 24 hours of Tennis for a very long time perhaps a year or more did the numbers taking up tennis increase? No not at all. I know many people who don't smoke yet both their parents smoked how come living in a smoke filled house didn't make them take up smoking. People are more discerning than one may think there are other reasons people take up smoking far removed from watching a film or TV. Alastair Bethlehem
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