Screening out tobacco use

The Taylor Jones Haskell County Medical Society Alliance has joined the American Medical Association in supporting Screen Out, a public awareness campaign to stop the irresponsible use of tobacco in children's movies. Movies are often used to promote tobacco brands and to advertise the acceptability of the act of smoking.

Children with the highest exposure to smoking in movies are nearly three times more likely to start smoking than those with the least exposure. Two out of every three G-, PG- and PG-13-rated movies include on-screen smoking or tobacco imagery. The current movie rating system does not prevent children from seeing smoking in movies.

Screen Out has four recommended solutions:

1. Any new movie that shows or implies tobacco be given an R-rating

2. No one involved in the movie benefits from having tobacco in the movie

3. Strong anti-smoking ads be shown before any movie with tobacco

4. Stop identifying tobacco brands in movies

The Medical Society Alliance has launched a citywide petition drive to gather signatures from concerned community members. These signed petitions will be sent to the Motion Picture Association of America to propose these changes to the current rating system.

I hope the residents of Abilene will join us in this effort by signing the petition. Look for the petition at locations around town.

Pat McCleskey, president

Taylor Jones Haskell County Medical Society Alliance