The Grey Bruce Health Unit is not giving up the fight to try and get adult ratings on movies that show smoking.
Medical Officer of Health Doctor Hazel Lynn was part of a delegation recently that met with the Ontario Film Review Board.
The group of health officials asked for an 18A — or adult rating — on movies and video games that depict smoking.
Health Unit Youth Advisor Jason Cranny says we can no longer allow our youth to be deceived into believing that tobacco use is O-K.
Studies show the more youth see smoking in movies, the more likely they are to start smoking.
Cranny challenges you to see how many times people are smoking in the next movie you see.
He notes over half of the movies that are rated G and PG have tobacco products in it.
Cranny points out the youth smoking rate in Grey Bruce is already at 14 to 17 per cent.
The Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada estimate 300 thousand high school aged children currently smoke — and of that group, 43 thousand will die prematurely.
