Movie Studios Asked To Put Anti-Smoking Messages On DVDs
Robert Paul Reyes
November 20, 2005
Kids respond to public service announcements (PSAs) about as well as they respond to lectures from parents or teachers.
Even the classic "this is your brain on drugs" PSA showing an egg being fried, probably inspired some kids to try drugs. "Oh wow, dude, let's go score some acid, I wanna scramble my brains."
But some adults just don't get it, the attorneys general from 32 states issued a letter to 10 major movie studios, asking for anti-smoking PSAs to be added to all DVDs.
The attorney generals were inspired by the release of a study from Dartmouth Medical School indicating that exposure to smoking in movies is a "primary risk factor" when it comes to young people picking up the nicotine habit.
If kids are inspired to smoke by watching Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom light up, they are not going to reconsider their decision after viewing a boring PSA.
Life is a "primary risk factor", everyday in reel life as well as in real life, kids witness people engaging in all sorts of unsafe practices. PSAs are not going to dissuade children from engaging in risky behavior.
Parents are the best PSA, if they teach their children from an early age to avoid the pitfalls of growing up, nine times out of ten they will make the right decisions.
The best parents don't lecture their kids, they are living PSAs, showing their children the right thing to do by their actions, not their words.
Kids are too worldly wise, they automatically tune out PSAs, let's keep DVDs "PSA Free."
Even the classic "this is your brain on drugs" PSA showing an egg being fried, probably inspired some kids to try drugs. "Oh wow, dude, let's go score some acid, I wanna scramble my brains."
But some adults just don't get it, the attorneys general from 32 states issued a letter to 10 major movie studios, asking for anti-smoking PSAs to be added to all DVDs.
The attorney generals were inspired by the release of a study from Dartmouth Medical School indicating that exposure to smoking in movies is a "primary risk factor" when it comes to young people picking up the nicotine habit.
If kids are inspired to smoke by watching Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom light up, they are not going to reconsider their decision after viewing a boring PSA.
Life is a "primary risk factor", everyday in reel life as well as in real life, kids witness people engaging in all sorts of unsafe practices. PSAs are not going to dissuade children from engaging in risky behavior.
Parents are the best PSA, if they teach their children from an early age to avoid the pitfalls of growing up, nine times out of ten they will make the right decisions.
The best parents don't lecture their kids, they are living PSAs, showing their children the right thing to do by their actions, not their words.
Kids are too worldly wise, they automatically tune out PSAs, let's keep DVDs "PSA Free."
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