Netflix to stub out smoking in shows aimed at younger viewers

Researchers found that 100 per cent of the Stranger Things episodes they documented included depictions of tobacco. Photo / Supplied

Netflix has promised to eliminate scenes that depict smoking from future content it produces that's aimed at younger viewers.

The streaming giant also said in a statement to EW that it would avoid the use of smoking or e-cigarettes in new projects with higher age ratings, unless it was "essential to the creative vision of the artist or because it's character-defining".

Netflix issued the statement in response to a report by the anti-smoking group Truth Initiative, which found that the company's programmes depicted tobacco use more frequently than broadcast and cable shows.

The hugely popular Netflix series Stranger Things, which has just released its third season, was identified in the report as one of the worst offenders.

"The popularity of streaming combined with the pervasive rise of smoking in episodic content points to an emerging threat to a new generation of Young Americans," the Truth Initiative report stated.

The researchers identified the most popular episodic programmes through an online survey of 750 youth and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 and found Netflix to be the most commonly-watched streaming service.

Researchers viewed more than 400 episodes and 350 hours of programming to document tobacco depictions from the shows' 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons. Each image of a cigarette pack or individual product was counted as a separate incident — even if multiple packs or products were shown in the same scene.

Netflix hits Orange is the New Black and House of Cards both registered a high number of tobacco depictions, but researchers found Stranger Things to be the worst offender, with 100 per cent of the episodes they coded including tobacco.

A Netflix spokesperson told EW the company recognised that "smoking is harmful and when portrayed positively on screen can adversely influence young people".

"Going forward, all new projects that we commission with ratings of TV-14 or below for series or PG-13 or below for films, will be smoking and e-cigarette free — except for reasons of historical or factual accuracy. For new projects with higher ratings, there'll be no smoking or e-cigarettes unless it's essential to the creative vision of the artist or because it's character-defining (historically or culturally important). In addition, starting later this year, smoking information will be included as part of our ratings on the Netflix service so our members can make informed choices about what they watch."

You can read the full Truth Initiative report here