American movie rating standards have always been pretty controversial. This Movie is Not Yet Rated is a documentary made in 2006 all about the arguments involving ratings. This was mostly between directors, studios and also the MPAA ratings board. Unfortunately, they have one more thing they can start fighting about in Hollywood. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that smoking in films should mandate that an “R” rating be given to the film as a protection for children and young teens.

Paying for product placement is illegal

The CDC study indicates that even though tobacco companies were banned in 1998 from being able to pay to place their products in films, there’s nevertheless more smoking in films today than there was at that time. Numerous studies cited by the CDC suggest that children and young teens do respond to smoking seen in films; they’re more likely to try smoking, versus adolescents who see little of it. Public health officials all seem to express the same concern. Health troubles are some of these concerns. The suggestion that there be less smoking in movies happened because of the amount of smoking in G, PG and PG-13 films.

Find another way to stop young smokers from starting

In addition to the R rating suggestion, other ideas given by the CDC are to air anti-smoking ads onscreen before the start of a film and to specify in film credits that no person or business associated with the movie received financial compensation from the tobacco industry or any associated business. The CDC wasn’t the first group to bring up the idea that smoking needs to make a movie R. The World Health Organization made this suggestion previously. Smoking scenes are irresponsible in movies. WHO thinks this marketing towards kids is inappropriate.

Pay too much for the smoking addiction

Smoking seems to be costing a growing number of. MSN Money explains another fact to add to anti-smoking. A 40-year-old smoker who kicks the habit and funnels the money spent on cigarettes and also the associated dry cleaning and higher health insurance rates into something more productive like a 401 (k) could conceivably save more than $ 250,000 by age 70. Choosing black lung over a comfortable retirement is enough to send anyone’s budget scrambling for paydayloans and installment loans for bad credit to fill the gaps. The R-rated scene might really just be getting into the expense of smoking.

Find more info on this subject

Center for Disease Control

cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5932a2.htm

MSN Money

articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourHealth/HighCostOfSmoking.aspx

Time Magazine

wellness.blogs.time.com/2010/08/19/rated-r-for-smoking/

World Health Organization

who.int/tobacco/smoke_free_movies/en/

Fox News report on removing cigarettes from movies

youtube.com/watch?v=FSxwPVUv7vY

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