Protect Kids: Help Stop Smoking in Movies

Summer blockbuster season is here, and millions of kids are heading to theaters to see the summer's hottest flicks. And because of the continued depiction of smoking in movies, many of these young moviegoers will start smoking themselves.

Research shows that -- each year -- 180,000 kids take up cigarettes because of the smoking images they see in movies. For these youngsters, starting to smoke could potentially lead to a lifelong addiction to tobacco, an increased risk for tobacco-caused cancer and other life-threatening diseases, and even death.

While some Hollywood studios are taking action, they're not doing enough to keep kids from trying smoking. In fact, smoking is still shown in more than half of youth-rated movies and more than 85 percent of all R-rated movies. So it's up to us to make sure our kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews and neighbors know that being cool doesn't mean smoking like their favorite movie stars.

Take the pledge >>
To protect the children I know and love from starting to smoke because of the movies I pledge to: - Only go see and rent movies that don't glorify smoking - Inform kids about the difference between the positive portrayal of smoking in the movies and the consequences of smoking in real life - Speak out about the need for movie studios to stop featuring tobacco products in their movies, sever their relationships with tobacco brands and use a "R" rating for all new movies that do feature smoking