Smoking in Top-Grossing Movies—United States, 1991–2009

August 20, 2010 / Vol. 59 / No. 32

Exposure to onscreen smoking in movies increases the probability that young people will start smoking.
Young people who are heavily exposed to onscreen smoking are approximately 2–3 times more likely to begin smoking compared with young people lightly exposed to seeing people smoke in movies.
This study counted tobacco incidents (the use or implied off-screen use of a tobacco product by an actor) and in-theater tobacco impressions (number of incidents viewed by moviegoers) for top-grossing films in the United States from 1991 to 2009.

During 1991–2001, the total number of in-theater onscreen smoking impressions varied from 30–60 billion per year.
The number of onscreen smoking incidents peaked in 2005 and then steadily declined over the next 4 years (in top-grossing films sampled)
- Between 1991 and 1997, onscreen smoking incidents ranged from 2,106–3,386 per year.
- The number of onscreen smoking incidents then declined, but rose again to peak at 3,967 in 2005.
- From 2005 to 2009, the number of onscreen smoking incidents dropped 52% (to 1,935 in 2009).

Approximately 54% of PG-13 films contained incidents of tobacco use in 2009.
By 2009, the total number of in-theater onscreen smoking impressions had declined to an estimated 17 billion per year.
The percentage of smoke-free films reached a high point in 2009.
- Approximately 51% of all top-grossing films did not show tobacco use in 2009.
- Approximately 61% of all top-grossing youth-rated films (G, PG, or PG-13) did not show tobacco use in 2009.