Purpose
The Smokefree Media project aims to end the film and video industries’ long usefulness to the tobacco industry's perpetual pursuit of new smokers. We continue research to inform evidence-based policy solutions designed to substantially reduce young audiences' exposure to on-screen smoking and create the strong counter-incentives needed to keep Big Tobacco out of entertainment media.
Recent Updates
A recent Truth Initiative report found more than half of top 2024 films featured tobacco imagery, exposing millions of Americans, including young adults, to vaping and smoking imagery. 51% of the top 152 box office films contained tobacco imagery, an increase from 41% in 2023.
History
This project was launched as Smokefree Movies by Stanton A. Glantz, PhD, professor of medicine at UCSF in 2001. View the historical version of the Smokefree Movies website. In 2020 the project name expanded to Smokefree Media in recognition of the growing importance of streaming video content as a vector to spread pro-tobacco images. Smokefree Media worked with medical and public health organizations, researchers, government agencies, legal authorities, socially responsible investors, and other partners around the world to improve public policy and film industry practice. While the site will no longer be updated, you can still access the Smokefree Media website.
We welcome dialogue with film producers, directors, actions, distributors, and exhibitors on this topic.
Past Research
Highlighted Study Coming Soon.