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Posted on 06/09/2003 6:28:08 PM PDT by Bubba_Leroy

Study: Smoking in movies encourages teens to take up cigarettes

London-AP -- A new study suggests teens who watch actors smoke in movies are three times more likely to light up than their peers who watch less on-screen smoking.

Many studies have linked smoking on the big screen with increased adolescent smoking, but this is the first to assess children before they take up the habit and track them over time.

Some experts say the study provides the strongest evidence to date that smoking depicted in movies encourages adolescents to start smoking. Others remain unconvinced.

The Motion Picture Association of America, which rates movies and represents the movie industry, had no immediate comment.

The study was funded by the U-S National Cancer Institute, and was published today on the Web site of The Lancet medical journal.

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