According to a new recommendation, films that feature smoking should receive an R rating. That would therefore deem the movie above, Lassie (1994), an R rated movie. It features teenagers smoking in a non-glorified way.
Whilst I agree that the film industry should be pressured to resist glorified presentations of smoking in family films, it is important that we don’t go overboard. After all, our children will see smoking frequently, if not at home, then in the street, shops, sporting events and restaurants.
Or will those activities get an R classification as well?
A recent study published in “Pediatrics” entitled “Influence of Motion Picture Rating on Adolescent Response to Movie Smoking,” explained how adolescents are affected by smoking in movies. The findings indicate those teens that watch movies featuring smoking are more likely to try cigarettes. The study goes onto demonstrate what steps can be taken by society to prevent this. But the health conscious study misses the point of raising a child.
The conclusion of the study states: “An R rating for movie smoking could substantially reduce adolescent smoking by eliminating smoking from PG-13 movies.”