Simon Chapman, professor of public health at the University of Sydney, writes:
There is an international push in tobacco control circles for regulation of the film industry in response to growing evidence on the association of smoking scenes in movies with teenage smoking uptake.
Thailand now pixilates smoking and there has been big momentum in both India and the USA to ban all scenes (India) and R rate all smoking (USA). In the USA, a large number of powerful NGOs have signed on to R-rating.
I’ve just published an article in Tobacco Control that is critical of all these proposals.
I am anticipating being attacked by many in the international tobacco control field, despite being very prominent in it myself over the past 30 years. Anyone who might like to comment on this paper can do so here.
Surely to censor smoking in movies on the basis that such an act could impinge on our freedom/rights as individuals has to be the closest thing to idiocy I’ve ever encountered. Dear Simon, the minute cameras were set on street scenes, freeways and every other area of big brother(ism?) and revenue raising traffic violations was the minute we lost all our rights to privacy/individualism pata ti pata ta. Why TF does every moralizing do-gooder always screech for action in the name of our children? Kiddie Widdies, teen-agers, and babies. These specious arguments appeal to fellow wowzers and bible belt voters whilst alienating people like me. Your ranting in the name of citizen’s rights proves nothing beyond the fact that yet another segment of the community is yelling for censorship.
Regrettably, I am on the same side of the fence as you. I say regrettably with feeling. Why the moralizing? It’s analogous to saying that health notices on cigarette packs impinge on the rights of individuals.
The simple reason that I’m against fudging over, (pixilating) the smoking scenes is because kids are determined to do life their way. They have to learn by their mistakes just like we did, But the way the moral brigade is marching on all fronts the next generation of children/teenagers will be ignorant of any behavioural standards at all. It’s akin to the desire of Kevin Rudd and his fellow bible bashers to censor the internet: an exercise in futility. How can society instruct the next generation that rape is not desirable, when the very word has been expunged from our dictionaries. Also the bright kids will find a way around the filters, and the dumb kids will become enthusiastic footy lovers. The trogs. I digress.
Sure smoking is odious, but you haven’t proved that teenagers are fired up to smoke BECAUSE they see it on a movie screen. And I read some of your comments. To me they don’t prove anything but a control-freak imposing his will on other people.(I’m so outraged I can scarcely articulate my comments) why not ban Johnson’s baby powder on the basis that it will entice teenagers to do a line of crack?
It is people like you Simon, who would have us all in some Stalinist, Pol Pot regime. If you get your way you will have the Australian people as mindless robotic serfs whose lack of motivation will allow anything as long as it is enacted in the name of children.
I just wish I had the ability to smoke. JUST on the basis of your less than intelligent crusade.
Simon Chapman: I apologize for giving you a rant, but can’t you see that you are indulging in overkill? Smoking is a bad idea. Simple fact. White washing and sanitizing the community is a worse one.
Re-reading my rant it looks as if I am a tobacco industry apologist. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am against censoring anything to do with any form of media. Not because citizens’ rights have been threatened. But because it is (in this case) a filthy, addictive health hazard. But children have to learn from life Professor Chapman.
Ummm… have you actually read the paper I wrote, Venise? Or did you just read the introduction above?