Do favorite movie stars influence adolescent smoking initiation?
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether adolescents whose favorite movie stars smoke on-screen are at increased risk of tobacco use.


METHODS
During interviews, adolescent never smokers taking part in the California Tobacco Survey nominated their favorite stars. We reviewed popular films released during 1994 through 1996 to determine whether stars smoked on-screen in at least 2 films.


RESULTS
One third of never smokers nominated a star who smoked on-screen, which independently predicted later smoking risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 1.82). The effect was strong among girls (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.26, 2.73). Among boys, there was no independent effect after control for receptivity to tobacco industry promotions.


CONCLUSIONS
Public health efforts to reduce adolescent smoking must confront smoking in films as a tobacco marketing strategy.
Distefan
Janet M
JM
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0645, USA.
Pierce
John P
JP
Gilpin
Elizabeth A
EA
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000329:Advertising; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002140:California; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing; D009040:Motion Pictures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009042:Motivation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015980:Public Health Practice; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019460:Tobacco Industry