Chilean news media coverage of proposed regulations on tobacco use in national entertainment media, May 2011–February 2013

1 2 The WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control recommends prohibiting direct and indirect tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS), including portrayals of tobacco in films. 3 The tobacco industry has long used films to promote its products. 3 4 Evidence from numerous countries consistently demonstrates that exposure to tobacco use in films promotes youth smoking, which provides the rationale for policy development in this area. 3 4 In May 2011, Chile introduced legislation to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces. [...]rather than a complete ban of tobacco imagery, policy efforts could follow WHO recommendations to prohibit brand imagery and industry payoffs, while assigning adult-ratings to films with tobacco to encourage producers to minimise smoking in movies, except when tobacco is necessary for historical accuracy. 3 The most prevalent argument in support of the TAPS ban was on the connection between entertainment media smoking and youth smoking, suggesting this argument is newsworthy.