The Chinese Association on Tobacco Control (CATC) has urged the country's radio and television broadcast governing body to ban smoking scenes from TV series and films in an attempt to take the glamour out of smoking, the Beijing Times reported.

The Beijing-based non-governmental organization on Sunday released a group of figures suggesting that smoking on TV and film screens is still common.

Statistics indicate that about 77.5 percent of the top 40 box-office hit movies in 2009 contained tobacco-related scenes. Among 30 selected TV plays, 28 of them contained smoking episodes, accounting for 93 percent.

The CATC has sent an open letter to the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), calling for regulations on "smoky screens."

The association also considered establishing an award called "Dirty Ashtray" for movie and TV stars who smoke the most on public occasions. The proposal has won the support of more than 40 actors.

Because of a lack of legislation and low awareness, many scenes in TV series and films contain smoking scenes which have a negative impact on viewers, particularly on impressionable young people.

According to new survey results released by the Beijing Center for Disease Control, more than 38 percent of 11,000 student respondents said they considered it mature and charming when actors smoked in films. Nearly 60 percent of them believe smoking scenes are normal.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 23, 2010)