Question: When is the illegal advertising and promoting of
tobacco products to minors not considered illegal?
Answer: When such enticement is woven into the theme of a prime
time television program.
Question: When is the illegal advertising and promoting of tobacco products to minors not considered illegal?
Answer: When such enticement is woven into the theme of a prime time television program.
It has been less than six years since a coalition of attorney generals from 46 states successfully settled their cases with five major tobacco companies, and the industry agreed not to “take any action, directly or indirectly, to target youth…in the advertising, promotion or marketing of tobacco products” (Master Settlement Agreement, 1998).
It’s a very smart idea, prohibiting Big Tobacco from using television shows to market cigarettes, but role models who smoke still are presented to an impressionable, youthful audience.
The sad reality is that it is perfectly legal for writers, producers and directors to create plots and depict characters who smoke. And it is permissible to broadcast these shows in prime time on major networks, as long as a particular brand is not advertised.
The latest example of this dichotomy is the new hit show “Whoopi,” in which the main character’s chief prop is a cigarette. The program is on during prime-time hours, airing well before most kids are in bed.
NBC’s sitcom stars comedienne Whoopi Goldberg as Mavis Rae, a chain-smoking hotel owner. She puffs on a cigarette throughout most of the show, and members of the supporting cast also smoke. Whenever a character points out the harmful and/or illegal nature of smoking in a public area, they are made the butt of a joke.
A reported 15.1 million viewers watched the pilot episode, in which a hotel guest reminds Mavis that “secondhand smoke kills.” Mavis’ dismissive response was “So do I, baby. Walk on!”
In an MSNBC interview, Goldberg reportedly was unapologetic about the negative role model that Mavis Rae presents to children, stating, “This is a show about real people. And real people do have these flaws….I mean, she’s not shooting dope. She’s not killing anyone.”
It makes me sad and angry to hear a public figure speak such misleading words.
Surely Whoopi Goldberg realizes that her character is modeling a highly addictive behavior. While she may not know the statistics – that cigarette smoking causes nearly 5 million painful and premature deaths around the world every year – she must realize that her bravado feeds into the bullet-proof mentality (“Nothing is happening to me now from smoking this cigarette”) that keeps people – especially teens – smoking cigarettes.
Doesn’t she realize that nearly 5,000 kids, every single day of the year, light up to join the ranks of smokers? Is she oblivious to the fact that between one-third and one-half of youths who try a cigarette go on to become daily smokers?
If she is unaware of these powerful facts, someone should tell her. Someone also should tell the folks who write, produce and direct this show. And someone should tell NBC to remove the show from the air until it relocates to a no-smoking zone.
If you are as appalled as I am, join me in being that “someone.”
It is tragic that a TV show like “Whoopi” comes at a time when nicotine use by young people reportedly is greatly reduced.
We’ve made astounding progress in the years since the Big Tobacco agreement resulting in a significant decline in cigarette smoking among high school students, from 28 percent in 2000 to 22.9 percent in 2002.
Let’s not undermine this groundbreaking progress by allowing television to present smoking in an attractive manner. A legally enforced “No Smoking” rule needs to be created and enforced across the board, both for cable and network broadcasting, along with strong financial consequences for noncompliance.
For now, let your outrage be heard by registering a strong protest against the blatant tobacco use on “Whoopi.”
Use the following information, and encourage your friends and colleagues join in the protest:
Bob Wright, chairman and chief executive officer of NBC, can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10012 or 212-664-4444 (ask for Bob Wright’s office).
NBC also has a Web page with general contact information at http://www.nbc.com/footer/Contact_Us.shtml. Concerns also can be sent directly to [email protected].
Judy Shepps Battle is a New Jersey resident, addictions specialist, consultant and freelance writer. She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
