Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Although we do what we can to protect kids from second-hand cigarette smoke, are we doing enough to reduce their interest in trying the dangerous, addictive product first-hand"
There are many reasons young people initially try smoking: having parents or friends who smoke is high on the list, as is having a risk-taking personality. A surprising factor, though, is kids seeing smoking in movies.
According to a report from the World Health Organization, the more onscreen smoking youth see, the more likely they are to start1. Plus, the U.S. Surgeon General reviewed evidence by America?s National Cancer Institute and found a definitive link between scenes of smoking in the movies and young people starting smoking2. In other words, it isn?t just associated with smoking; it causes it. Yet, of the top-grossing movies released in Ontario between 2004 and 2014 that featured tobacco, 86% were youth-rated3.
We all know that movies and celebrities are massive influencers when it comes to how our kids look, talk and dress. So what can we do to make sure the tobacco companies don?t addict your child to their deadly products" Talk to your kids about smoking scenes in movies, think twice about what movies you?re letting them watch, and visit smokefreemovies.ca to find out how you can do even more.
The more kids and teens see smoking in movies, the more likely they are to start. LEARN MORE

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