Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Perth District Health Unit
Perth County Youth Travel to Niagara Falls to Support Smoke-Free Movies
To celebrate International Week of Action on Smoke-Free Movies, youth from the Perth District Health Unit’s THINK team joined over 150 youth from across Ontario and New York in Niagara Falls to show their support for smoke-free youth rated movies.
Niagara Falls was lit up in the campaign colour teal on Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday afternoon, teal-clad youth united on the Rainbow Bridge, forming a human ribbon. The youth are calling for movies that feature tobacco to be rated 18A.
Research shows that the more youth see smoking in movies, the more likely they are to start smoking and become addicted to nicotine. According to a recent report by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, of the 1,434 top-grossing movies released in theatres from 2004 to 2013, 57% featured on-screen tobacco, of which 86% were rated for youth in Ontario.
The THINK team is a group of Perth County youth that work to educate their peers on important health topics. “We are working to help prevent a new generation of smokers,” says peer leader, Amanda Roberts. The THINK team has been educating about the impact smoking in movies has on children and youth. “We have hosted outdoor smoke-free movies nights in Stratford and will be planning another one this summer.”
Currently in Ontario, movies are rated based on a variety of criteria including violence, substance abuse and nudity among others, but smoking and tobacco use does not impact a movie’s rating. “To help prevent a new generation of smokers, movies with tobacco need to be rated 18A,” says Roberts.
For more information:
Media Contact:
Rebecca Hill
Communications Manager
519-271-7600 ext 279
rhill@pdhu.on.ca
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