The US Surgeon General’s Report of 2014 stated that the evidence is sufficient to conclude that advertising and promotional activities by the tobacco companies cause the onset and continuation of smoking among adolescents and young adults. Philip Morris reported in 1999 that “the ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise is key to brand development.” Smoking is instilled throughout contemporary culture and adversely influences the behavior of adolescents. Half of all movies for children under 13 contain scenes of tobacco use, and images and messages normalize tobacco use in magazines, on the internet, and at retail stores frequented by youth. Many of the video games that were released in the past few years, which were rated appropriate for “teen” audiences, feature characters who smoke. These characters are portrayed as tough and powerful, sending very dangerous messages to young people. Video game content descriptors often fail to mention tobacco use, making it difficult for parents to monitor the games. The depiction of tobacco use in games serves, in effect, as free advertising for tobacco companies, and a recruitment mechanism for the “replacement smokers” they need to make up for the 1,300 people who die each day from a tobacco related disease.
