Where There’s Smoke, There’s Ire

What would you say to a new law that prevented anyone under the age of 17 from seeing movies like Schindler's List, Casablanca or The Lord of the Rings? Well if the World Health Organisation has its way, that's exactly what would happen. It's all part of an proposal to prevent your young impressionable minds from seeing anything that glamourises smoking. 'If a tobacco product seems macho or feminine, sophisticated or rugged, sexy or sporty, it is because of the marketing around it... Two of the most successful contexts in which to build these images are film and fashion,' the organistion said in a press statement released yesterday. 'The world of film and fashion cannot be accused of causing cancer. But they do not have to promote a product that does.' At first glance, this does seem a bit harsh, but maybe the WHO has a point. When we tried to think of any films (bar historical films) that didn't feature anyone smoking, we were hard-pressed to find a single one.