Do tobacco companies pay actors to smoke in their movies?

Question

Only facts please, stuff that can be cited.

Do tobacco companies pay actors to smoke in movies. Also, do they pay screen writers to include characters who smoke?

Answer 1

Probably the best place to start your research is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Search their site for "tobacco" and "movies" or "tobacco" and "media."

I don't know if they are still available from the CDC, but I once ordered some free videos about smoking in movies. They were not very interesting overall, but one of the films stated expressly that, yes, tobacco companies have paid actors and film studios to put their products in movies. One of the movies, "Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema, & the Myth of Cool," has Sean Penn being interviewed, defending his right to smoke in movies. Many other Hollywooders offer their opinions as well.

Good luck!

Answer 2

No they don't