SACRAMENTO, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- In a new report on smoking in Hollywood movies, the American Lung Association says the depiction of tobacco in PG-13 movies hit a nine-year high in 2003.
The finding is included in the organization's ninth annual Hackademy Awards -- a spoof on the Academy Awards that presents a Gray Lung to filmmakers who show tobacco use onscreen and a Pink Lung to those who avoid it.
A panel of teenage Sacramento-area Lung Association volunteers found this year's Oscar nominees for Best Actor were relatively smoke-free, with the exception of Bill Murray, who smokes cigars in "Lost in Translation."
However, the panel gave Gray Lungs to the Best Picture nominees and to the nominees for Best Actress, for "heavy tobacco use" by three of the five nominees.
The Lung Association said the increased depiction of tobacco use in PG-13 movies appears have resulted from a crackdown on admitting underage moviegoers to R-rated pictures. Officials said Hollywood created more PG-13 movies, toning down violence, sex and drug-related content -- but continuing to show characters using tobacco.
