SAFE GC Coalition: The Truth About On-Screen Tobacco Imagery

Researchers at The Truth Initiative shows that on-screen tobacco imagery can make young people more likely to smoke and vape – but it may also hinder quit attempts for people of all ages. Coping with nicotine cravings is one of the biggest challenges for people quitting nicotine, and according to posts from the EX Community – the largest online social platform for people quitting nicotine – smoking in TV and movies is a common trigger that has the potential to lead to relapse and the urge to smoke or vape can be triggered by feelings or events such as anxiety, stress, or environments where others are smoking or vaping, to name a few. The EX Community is part of EX Program, a free digital quitting program developed by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic that can increase the odds of quitting by up to 40%.

Researchers suggest that people quitting smoking should reduce their exposure to films that depict tobacco use – but streaming studios and decision makers also have a role to play. Several studies support the relationship between on-screen tobacco use and a stronger urge to smoke. According to one of the studies, which included more than 4,000 adult smokers, exposure to on-screen smoking was associated with a higher urge to smoke after the movie.
Smoking and vaping is pervasive in both TV and film: Tobacco depictions in top movies increased by 70% in 2023, exposing an estimated 283 million people in theaters and 29.8 million youth via streaming platforms, and seven of the top 15 shows most popular among 15- to 24-year-olds in 2023 also displayed tobacco imagery, according to Truth Initiative’s seventh annual analysis of tobacco in top entertainment.
To mitigate the harms of on-screen tobacco imagery, Truth Initiative recommends that studios adopt and disclose anti-tobacco policies and agree to work with actors and creators who include “no tobacco” clauses in their contracts. Creators should also include content warnings that inform viewers about the risks of exposure to tobacco imagery and provide information about evidence-based quitting resources, such as Truth Initiative’s EX Program.
Prevention organizations should also continue to educate the public as well as industry decision makers about how on-screen tobacco drives youth nicotine addiction.
SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is concerned with all combustible and electronic products with tobacco. The Agency employs environmental strategies to educate and update the community regarding the negative consequences of smoking and vaping. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow www.facebook.com/safeglencove or to learn more about electronic products visit the Youth and Tobacco Use and Vaping Facts and Myths Pages of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health at www.safeglencove.org.
The Truth Initiative is the nation’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering quitting. Research is conducted through the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute that produces independent research to provide evidence for policy change and leadership in cessation research. For more information, please visit www.truthinitiative.org.
EX Program by Truth Initiative, a comprehensive quitting program developed with Mayo Clinic in 2008, is designed to help people of all ages quit any type of tobacco or nicotine product with free personalized quit plan, interactive text message reminders, advice and tips from Mayo Clinic, and 24/7 access to inspiring posts and conversations on the EX Community, and access to the nation's most established online quitting community. Proven effective and backed by science, EX Program has helped millions of people on their journey to quit and can increase a user's odds of quitting by up to 40%. For more information, please visit www.exprogram.com