Related Experiment Videos
Popular films do not reflect current tobacco use
A R Hazan1, H L Lipton, S A Glantz
1Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
American Journal of Public Health
|June 1, 1994
Summary
Top-grossing films from 1960-1990 did not alter overall tobacco use rates. Smoking portrayals in movies, particularly among elite characters, remained significantly higher than in real-world population data.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Media Studies
- Sociology
Background:
- Tobacco use in popular media, specifically films, has been a long-standing public health concern.
- Previous research indicates a correlation between smoking depicted in movies and initiation of smoking behavior, particularly among adolescents.
- Understanding trends in cinematic tobacco use is crucial for developing effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in tobacco use portrayal in top-grossing US films from 1960 to 1990.
- To compare cinematic smoking prevalence with actual population data over three decades.
- To identify changes in the context and characteristics of smoking depicted in films.
Main Methods:
- A content analysis was performed on a random sample of 2 top-grossing US films released annually between 1960 and 1990 (totaling 62 films).
- Data collected included the overall rate of tobacco use, characteristics of smokers (e.g., race, gender, success), smoking group size, and associated behaviors (e.g., stress reduction).
- Prevalence of smoking among elite characters and events involving young people were specifically examined and compared to population data.
Main Results:
- The overall rate of tobacco use in films remained consistent across the three decades studied.
- Smokers were predominantly portrayed as successful, attractive White males.
- While smoking among elite characters decreased, it remained nearly three times more prevalent than in the general population; smoking in scenes involving young people more than doubled.
Conclusions:
- Films released between 1960 and 1990 did not accurately reflect the declining smoking rates in the United States.
- The persistent positive and high-prevalence portrayal of smoking in movies, especially among influential characters and in youth-oriented contexts, may contribute to public health challenges.
- Continued monitoring of tobacco use in media is essential to inform public health policy and counter potentially harmful influences.