Do Favorite Movie Stars Influence Adolescent Smoking Initiation?
Janet M. Distefan, PhD,
John P. Pierce, PhD and
Elizabeth A. Gilpin, MS
At the time the research for this article was completed, Janet M. Distefan was with the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego. John P. Pierce and Elizabeth A. Gilpin are with the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to John P. Pierce, PhD, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0645 (e-mail: jppierce{at}ucsd.edu).
Objectives. We sought to determine whether adolescents whosefavorite movie stars smoke on-screen are at increased risk oftobacco use.
Methods. During interviews, adolescent never smokers takingpart in the California Tobacco Survey nominated their favoritestars. We reviewed popular films released during 1994 through1996 to determine whether stars smoked on-screen in at least2 films.
Results. One third of never smokers nominated a star who smokedon-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 aftercontrol for receptivity to tobacco industry promotions.
Conclusions. Public health efforts to reduce adolescent smokingmust confront smoking in films as a tobacco marketing strategy.
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