Promoting Smoking in Iranian Movies: The Need for Cultural Strategies and Legal Reforms to Reduce Tobacco Consumption

Document Type : Letter(s) to Editor

Authors

1 Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

10.34172/ahj.1661

Abstract

Smoking depictions in Iranian Movies have become a significant cultural and public health challenge, particularly for adolescents, who are highly impressionable during this critical stage of social identity formation. Scientific evidence highlights the causal relationship between exposure to smoking scenes in Movies and increased tobacco use among adolescents. A comprehensive approach is required to address this issue, including legal restrictions on tobacco portrayals in media, awareness campaigns targeting youth, and promoting positive role models. These measures can help mitigate the harmful effects of smoking depictions in Movies and contribute to reducing tobacco consumption in Iran.
Keywords: Movie, Tobacco control, Smok
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use killed 7.7 million people worldwide in 2020. The economic costs of tobacco use amount to billions of dollars. In Iran, tobacco use is the fifth leading risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (1). According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, 43% of men and 25% of women smoke regularly (2).

Keywords

References

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Addiction & Health
Volume 17
Pages 1-2

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