Yet only a handful of recent films disclose their tobacco content in film-ratings, leaving consumers in the dark about the safety of most G, PG and PG-13 titles. Leading health groups and state attorney generals have been pressing the U.S. film industry to include effective anti-tobacco spots on DVDs with smoking. “The research shows that movies with tobacco may be the single biggest media threat to our kids,” according to Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County Health Officer.

“Smoking will be responsible for more preventable deaths than drunk driving, violent crime, drug use and HIV/AIDS combined.”  Public Health Director LeSage says, “This is a prime educational opportunity for parents in our community:  If your video and DVD library already contains any of these movies, talk with your children about it.  Let them know that what they see on the screen does not reflect real life. The movie characters do not show us the damage that smoking can do to the smoker and others around them.” Movies rated G or PG where you might not expect to find characters smoking include Underdog, Nancy Drew, The Ant Bully, and Barnyard. For a complete list of the 104 kid-rated movies that include smoking, contact Diana Evensen at Tobacco Reduction of Amador County at 223-6638.