(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today joined Attorneys General from 37 states and territories in calling for the end of smoking being depicted in youth-rated films. The request was made in a letter sent to the chairmen and CEOs of ten major motion picture studios.
“Each time the industry releases another movie that depicts smoking, it does so with the full knowledge it will bring harm to children who watch it,” DeWine and the Attorneys General said in their letter. “Attorneys General from numerous states have repeatedly called upon the motion picture industry to take meaningful steps to protect the health and lives of children by eliminating depictions of smoking in movies rated G, PG, and PG-13.”
The groundbreaking Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) addressed one aspect of smoking in movies: prohibiting paid product placements. However, smoking in movies has remained a negative influence on young people.
The Attorneys General recommended the following steps be taken by motion picture companies:
- Adopting published corporate policies that provide for the elimination of tobacco depictions in youth-rated movies;
- Including effective anti-tobacco spots on all future DVDs and Blu-ray videos of films that depict smoking;
- Certifying in the closing credits of all future motion picture releases with tobacco imagery that no payoffs were made in connection with any tobacco depictions; and
- Keeping all future movies free of tobacco brand display, both packaging and promotional collateral.as remained a negative influence on young people.
The letter was sent to the Chairmen and CEOs of the following companies: News Corporation; Sony Corporation; Viacom, Inc.; CBS Corporation; DreamWorks Studios; Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; Relativity Media, LLC; Summit Entertainment, LLC; The Weinstein Company, LLC; and 2929 Entertainment LP.
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Documents
Copy of Attorney Generals' Letter (PDF)
Media Contacts
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Lisa Hackley: 614-466-3840