TMA has added Screen Out! , a new public health outreach program, to its repertoire. Its goal is to remove tobacco imagery and products from youth-oriented movies rated G, PG, and PG-13.
The New York State Department of Health and the University of California at San Francisco developed Screen Out! to raise awareness about the harm on-screen tobacco use causes and to garner support for the Smoke Free Movies campaign. In October 2006, the American Medical Association Alliance joined the Smoke Free Movies movement, giving a powerful, national voice to the Screen Out! campaign. TMA joined the AMA Alliance's campaign in June.
The AMA Alliance identified these goals for the three-year Screen Out! campaign:
- Write 800 letters to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and other decision-makers;
- Gather 750,000 parent petition signatures in support of the four solutions set forth by the Screen Out! Campaign; and
- Garner 1,500 Screen Out! endorsements from parent, political, health, and school-based organizations.
Screen Out! provides several easy ways for physicians, students, and TMA Alliance members to get involved. Here are four outreach tactics you can employ to create awareness of Screen Out! in your community:
- Write letters to movie studios, MPAA, and movie theater owners. Click here to find contact information for MPAA.
- Gather signatures on a petition .
- Garner organizational endorsements. Meet with your alliance or community organization to brainstorm possible organizations and groups that would be interested in supporting the Screen Out! principles. Some organizations that might be interested are parent-teacher associations, local health departments, hospitals, churches, retailers that sell DVDs, movie theaters, and schools and churches.
- Create media outreach. Local media can help publicize your efforts and also garner public attention from local citizens on the issue.
To find out how you can get involved and to download tools for your campaign, click here . TMA also has added this information on its Web site . For more information, e-mail Tammy Wishard or call her at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1470, or (512) 370-1470.
Action , Aug. 18, 2008
Last Updated On
July 14, 2010
Originally Published On
March 23, 2010