Archive for June 2nd, 2009
Simpsons in smoking scandal
New research out of Australia looks at smoking and pro tobacco industry messages in the very popular tv cartoon the Simpsons.
D’oh! The Simpsons could be encouraging another generation of young people to take up smoking.
One of the most popular television shows in history contains a “large number” of tobacco-related scenes, say researchers who watched 400 episodes of the cartoon for science.
“We recorded 795 instances of smoking or references to smoking,” says Dr Guy Eslick, a fellow of the International Union Against Cancer and honorary associate of the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health.
“The most notable characters who smoked were Marge Simpson’s sisters Patty and Selma, Krusty the Clown and Bart’s school teacher Mrs Krabappel.”
Dr Eslick assessed the first 18 seasons of the program and found the number of smoking references per season ranged from just over 10 to more than 60.
Smoking was presented in a “positive way” in just two percent of these cases, in a negative way in 35 percent of cases and neutrally in 63 percent.
Male characters were more likely to be involved in the show’s smoking-related references.
This was despite the program’s “most prolific smokers being Patty and Selma (who) started smoking as teenagers causing their raspy voices – as seen in Season 2″.
Plot lines which presented smoking in a negative light were more likely to feature child or adolescent character s than adult characters, the study also shows.
Dr Eslick said the program’s cartoon format ensured it would have a large child-age viewership despite the adult overtones of its content, while The Simpsons merchandising was directly targeted at children.
He said earlier research had shown children who watch more television were more likely to start smoking at a younger age.
There was also a link between onscreen use of cigarettes by movie stars and an increased likelihood of adolescent viewers taking up the habit.
“Even instances of smoking being reflected in a negative way, particularly among young characters, could have an impact on promoting children to smoke cigarettes,” Dr Eslick said.
The study concludes: “Viewing The Simpsons characters smoking may prompt children to consider smoking at an early age”.
The research is to be published in the Medical Journal of Australia, and today (Sunday) is World No Tobacco Day.
Source: Stuff
Youth refuse to go quietly
Youth Refuse to Go Quietly
May 30th 2009 – Early this week news agencies across the province learned of the demise of the Youth Action Alliance program across the province.
The program, initiated by the Honourable Jim Watson, ex-Minister of Health Promotion, was part of the Ministry’s innovative approach to tobacco control. The program – aimed at Ontario youth as part of peer leadership model – was marked a success by government reports investigating the efficiency of the program.
The program was cancelled by the Ministry after being deemed “too resource intensive” and that with overall funding to the Ministry being slashed by the McGuinty government the Ministry had to make the difficult decision to cut the program. However, sources close to the Ministry now confirm that funding to the Ministry of Health Promotion remains greatly unchanged from previous years.
The program, costing an estimated $5.5 million, is one of the least expensive initiatives the Ministry of Health Promotion operates, and directly employs over 500 part-time high-school-aged youth and around 60 full-time adult support staff.
The 500-some advocates trained by the government to fight against the grips of the tobacco industry have turned their training against the government, bombarding Queens Park with emails, phone calls, letters and faxes calling for the re-instatement of their program. Many have directed their lobbying efforts directly to the Minister of Health Promotion, Margarett Best, herself, who claims to have learned about the cancellation earlier this week following the recent wave of media interest on the subject.
Despite numerous promises to meet with youth involved with the soon-to-be-dismantled program, ministry officials, including Minister Best, have failed to meet with any member of the Youth Actions Alliances or their adult support staff. The Ministry has, however, made more than ample time to meet with media agencies in an attempt to stem the tide of rising media coverage.
The youth, who will be fired when their contracts expire at the end of August, have remained positive in their fight to keep the program alive. “It sounds selfish,” admitted one youth when speaking about the cancellation of the program, “but when you consider the amount of good it does for the community, I don’t think you can just cancel it and walk away.”
The youth are expected to bring their cause to the general public using the unconventional marketing methods they specialized in when combating various tobacco issues.
Youth at AY Jackson Secondary School in Ottawa, Ontario have already collected 40 letters of support for the Youth Action Alliance program, as well as 30 posters bearing of 300 youth signatures that call on the Ministry of Health Promotion that the Youth Action Alliance program is a priority for youth across the province.
On Tuesday, June 2nd from 7:00 AM until 10:00 AM youth from across the province are expected to manifest at College Park, following by other locations, to show Minister Best and Premier Dalton McGuinty, how important youth-based tobacco programming is for the continued health of all Ontarians.
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Danielle Mignault
613 453 1380
daniellemignault@hotmail.com
