Citing a new study of ties between Hollywood and cigarette makers, health advocates are calling for the film industry to incorporate tobacco as a factor in determining movie ratings. According to the study, cigarette companies aggressively pursued product placement in films in the 1980s and "undertook an extensive campaign to hook Hollywood on tobacco by providing free cigarettes to actors." "What it confirms is what we have suspected for quite some time that when stars light up in films ... that can have a powerful influence on people," said study co-author Curtis Mekemson, a health and environmental consultant who specializes in tobacco content in movies.

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