Against Tobacco in Movies :: Tobacco Nicotine Smoking Cigarettes

Tobacco is detrimental to people’s health and if there were more restrictions on the exposure of tobacco in the media, it would reduce tobacco use. Movies that depict tobacco should be rated R in order to prevent teens from the exposure of tobacco. R rated movies show violence, inappropriate language and sexual situations, circumstances that teens should not be allowed to see. The rating system went into effect in order to prevent kids from seeing inappropriate behaviors, since tobacco is also an inappropriate behavior, it should also be categorized in the R rated section of movies. Dangers of tobacco are well documented and researched. Researchers have spent billions of money on research regarding the risks of smoking long term and even the risks associated with second hand smoke. Time and money has gone into the research, and it is time that this research is used in a beneficial way to help the youth stay away from harmful behavior. The rating system went in effect on November 1, 1968. It got started after people complained about inappropriate language in movies that they did not want their children exposed to. In April 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutional power of states to prevent the exposure of children to films that could not be denied to adults. It took around six months to decide how the movies would be rated before the rating system went into effect. Almost half a year was spent in order to move towards a system that would satisfy both children and adults. The purpose of movie ratings is not to critically mark the movies as poor quality movies, which is a critic’s trade, but in order to offer parents some advance information so that they can decide what they want their children exposed to. The movies are rated by a Rating Board which consists of 8-12 adults who are qualified based on their maturity level and their ability to place themselves in the role of a parent. There are fiv e categories that the movies are divided in: G, PG, PG13, R and NC17. A G rated film contains no nudity, no drugs, no sex scenes, etc. and is appropriate for all children. PG rating may contain some material that is inappropriate for children, so the Rating Board would advise the parents to view this film prior to letting their children watch it. A movie that is rated PG13 is strongly cautioned by the Rating Board to have the parents view the film, the material that is depicted in a PG13 film may be inappropriate for children under the age of thirteen.