Study: Smoking represented on average every five minutes in series

Smoking remains highly visible in popular television series in middle- and low-income countries, according to a study published in the journal Tobacco Control. The authors argue that there is a need for greater enforcement of legislation banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship in these countries, which are particularly affected by the tobacco epidemic.

A study sought to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the presence of tobacco in the four most popular series of 2019 in ten low- and middle-income countries. A total of eighteen series were analyzed, corresponding to a total of 111 episodes and 4,903 minutes of viewing.[1].

Three-quarters of the series concerned by the presence of tobacco

Nearly three-quarters of the series viewed included at least one tobacco use (72%). Across all the content viewed and analyzed, the researchers counted no fewer than 941 tobacco representations over 4,903 minutes of series, or one tobacco use every five minutes or so. Of the 111 episodes analyzed, 38 contained tobacco, or just over one in three content (34%). Depending on the series containing tobacco use, the direct or indirect presence of tobacco varies considerably. Thus, the researchers counted 143 tobacco use occurrences in a single episode of the series Stranger Things. This one, with the series Narcos, does not count a single episode without the appearance of smoking.

Cigarettes, the most common product in series

Of the 38 episodes containing tobacco occurrences, the researchers counted 83 characters depicted with tobacco products. In the vast majority of cases, the characters on screen with tobacco were men (77%). The researchers also demonstrated that cigarettes remained the most depicted tobacco product on screen, with 95% of occurrences, while none of the episodes viewed featured new tobacco products (heated tobacco) or nicotine (e-cigarettes).

The representation of smokers

The study authors also sought to qualitatively analyze the episodes to understand the context in which these smoking incidents took place. In this way, the researchers show that in more than 44% of cases, tobacco is associated with a "bad" character, rather than with a character identified as good (30%) or complex (25%). The most common representations of tobacco in all of this content were those of consumption associated with stress relief, that of a habit or addiction, or as an integral part of the characters identified as "bad."

Series, a normative cultural content for younger generations

In total, 38% of the tobacco depictions occurred in episodes of series aimed at young people aged 15 or older. For the authors of the study, the presence of tobacco in these series is regularly portrayed in a positive light. This cultural content, massively viewed by younger generations, contributes significantly to normalizing the consumption of tobacco products. Based on this observation, the researchers call for further strengthening of legislation on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship and their enforcement, taking into account changing consumption patterns, in accordance with Article 13 of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

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[1] Fitzpatrick I, Byrne D, Gilmore AB, et al, Quantifying and characterizing tobacco content in the most in-demand streamed series in 10 low/middle income countries in 2019, Tobacco Control Published Online First: 24 June 2022. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2022-057278