WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Cancer Institute -- the leading federal agency on cancer research -- released a report on Thursday that reaches the government's strongest conclusion to date that tobacco marketing and depictions of smoking in movies promote youth smoking.
"There is now incontrovertible evidence that marketing of tobacco and smoking in the movies can cause young people to begin smoking," said Barbara Loken, one of the report's five scientific editors.
Cigarettes are one of the most heavily marketed products in the United States, says the 684-page report, "The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use."
Tobacco advertising targets psychological needs of adolescents, such as popularity and peer acceptance. Advertising creates the perception that smoking satisfies these needs.
Even brief exposure to tobacco advertising influences adolescents' perceptions about smoking, smokers, and adolescents' intentions to smoke, notes the report.
In the meantime, the depiction of cigarette smoking is pervasive in movies, occurring in 75 percent or more of contemporary box-office hits, with identifiable brands in about one-third of movies.
The report concludes that while mass media campaigns can reduce tobacco use. "Anti-tobacco ads before films and a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising are two effective strategies found to curb effects of tobacco images on youth," said Loken. "Now we need to use marketing to steer youth and others away from tobacco."
