Senators: Golden Globes Should Celebrate Achievements in Film and Television, Not Smoking and E-Cigarettes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Following a primetime broadcast of the Golden Globes that featured prominent images of celebrities smoking e-cigarettes, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today asked NBC Universal and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to take action to ensure that future broadcasts avoid the glamorization of smoking and protect the health of young fans.

Electronic cigarettes – or “e-cigs” – have more than doubled in use among high school students in just one year from 2011 to 2012. A report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year found that in addition to releasing candy and fruit flavored vapors that appeal to youth, many release nicotine, which could increase the likelihood that youth become addicted to nicotine and start using conventional cigarettes.

“Each year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes excellence in film and television at the Golden Globe Awards. Throughout the country and the world, people tune in to watch fashionable actors on the red carpet, enjoy the show, and root for their favorite films and actors. Unfortunately, this year, many young viewers saw notable displays of e-cigarette use throughout the awards show, including the opening monologue and repeated shots of celebrities smoking e-cigarettes,” the Senators wrote.

“In light of studies showing that exposure to on-screen smoking is a major contributor to smoking initiation among youth, we are troubled that these images glamorize smoking and serve as celebrity endorsements that could encourage young fans to begin smoking traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes.”

Responding to the growing popularity of tobacco products like e-cigarettes among young people, in September, Durbin, Blumenthal, Brown, Markey, and eight other Members of Congress called on nine e-cigarette makers to provide additional information regarding the sale, distribution, labeling, and marketing of their products to children and teens. Currently, e-cigarettes are not subject to federal laws and regulations that apply to traditional cigarettes such as the prohibition on selling to persons younger than 18, distribution of free samples, television and radio ads, and having characterizing fruit flavors that appeal to kids. A copy of that letter is available here.

In December, Durbin, Brown, Markey, and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to promptly complete its review of a proposed rule from the FDA, which would expand the FDA’s regulatory authority over tobacco products. A copy of that letter is available here.

In April, Durbin, Blumenthal, Brown, and U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI) called on the FDA to issue “deeming regulations” asserting regulatory authority over tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes, and to restrict the sale, distribution and marketing of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products to children and young adults. A copy of that letter is available here.

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. Every year, tobacco use kills over 440,000 Americans – accounting for one in five deaths. The U.S. Surgeon General, the CDC, and the National Cancer Institute have concluded that tobacco causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases. Smoking costs the United States about $193 billion each year in health care expenses and lost productivity.

[Text of today’s letter is below]

January 14, 2014

Theo Kingma

President

Hollywood Foreign Press Association

646 N. Robertson Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

Stephen B. Burke

Chief Executive Officer

NBC Universal

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

Dear Mr. Kingma/Mr. Burke:

We write to express concern regarding the prominent display of electronic cigarettes at Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards.

Each year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes excellence in film and television at the Golden Globe Awards. Throughout the country and the world, people tune in to watch fashionable actors on the red carpet, enjoy the show, and root for their favorite films and actors. Unfortunately, this year, many young viewers saw notable displays of e-cigarette use throughout the awards show, including the opening monologue and repeated shots of celebrities smoking e-cigarettes. In light of studies showing that exposure to on-screen smoking is a major contributor to smoking initiation among youth, we are troubled that these images glamorize smoking and serve as celebrity endorsements that could encourage young fans to begin smoking traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated devices that simulate traditional tobacco cigarettes. E-cigarettes contain cartridges filled with flavors, chemicals, and the highly addictive substance, nicotine, which are vaporized and inhaled by the user. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), e-cigarette use is growing rapidly. Between 2010 and 2011, the number of U.S. adults who have tried e-cigarettes doubled. Further, a CDC study released in September 2013 found that in just one year, from 2011 to 2012, the percentage of high school students who have ever used e-cigarettes more than doubled from 4.7 percent to 10 percent.

In spite of the growing popularity of e-cigarettes and limited research on their long-term health effects and risk for increasing use of traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are currently not required to be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for evaluation or approval. In 2009, FDA conducted a limited analysis of a sample of e-cigarettes. The analysis found significant quality control issues such as the presence of carcinogens and toxic chemicals, variation in the dose of nicotine in each inhalation, and the presence of nicotine in products claiming to be nicotine-free. The study raises concerns regarding the safety of these products, the levels of nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals, and the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens.

Unlike traditional tobacco products, e-cigarettes can be legally sold to children and are currently not subject to federal age verification laws. E-cigarettes marketed to appeal to kids in candy and fruit flavors, like bubblegum and strawberry, are readily available to youth in shopping malls and online. These products risk addicting children to nicotine, which could be a pathway to cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The Golden Globes celebrates entertainers who are an influence on young fans. We ask the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and NBC Universal to take actions to ensure that future broadcasts of the Golden Globes do not intentionally feature images of e-cigarettes. Such action would help to avoid the glamorization of smoking and protect the health of young fans.