L.A. County Department of Public Health Urges Hollywood to Seriously Address Movies' Impact on Teen Smoking

Business Wire, May 28, 2008

"Hollywood cannot underestimate the horrific toll that smoking in movies will have on the health of an entire generation," said Dr. Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association. "Research has shown that U.S. deaths attributable to youth exposure to on-screen tobacco will be greater than drunk driving, drug abuse, criminal violence and HIV/AIDS combined. The time is now to get smoking out of youth-rated films."

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000 employees and an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.