FILMS FAULTED FOR SMOKING SCENES

Last updated: Friday, February 24, 2006

FILMS FAULTED FOR SMOKING SCENES

A youth anti-smoking group has named Wedding Crashers as the most lung-polluting comedy of 2005 at the second annual Black Lung awards.

The ceremony, held at Winnipeg's CanWest Global Performing Arts Centre this week and directed to about 250 adolescents, took aim at Hollywood's portrayal of nicotine.

Students doled out mock awards and imitated celebrities they accused of treating their lungs like ashtrays.

They proclaimed The Wedding Date as the year's habit-laden chick flick, while the infamy of "female and male chimney" was given to Lindsay Lohan and Colin Farrell.

"If we can just get through to one kid, it's worth it," said Spencer Leather, a member of Students Working Against Tobacco.

Leather, who adopted the role of Ricky from TV's Trailer Park Boys to critique the show's tobacco-heavy scenes, said smoking should be banned from movies.

In contrast, the "pink lung" award noted Just Friends as an entertaining, smoke-free film.

Dr. Mark Taylor of the Manitoba Medical Association said films averaged 12 smoking incidences an hour in 2003, compared to 5.9 in 1990.

More than a third of adolescents who light up do so as a result of seeing others smoke in movies, say association officials.

Taylor said restricting movies that include tobacco use to people 18 and older or accompanied by an adult is the best way to limit this exposure.

| Friday, February 24, 2006

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version