A new report from NORC at the University of Chicago and Truth Initiative warns of a significant resurgence of tobacco imagery in films, including those watched by young audiences. According to the analysis, more than half of 2024’s top-grossing movies featured tobacco use, a 10-percentage-point increase from the previous year.

The study found that 51% of the top 152 box office films contained tobacco imagery, up from 41% in 2023. Total tobacco incidents also surged by 43%, rising from 1,989 depictions in 2023 to 2,858 in 2024. Exposure among young viewers remains a particular concern: more than one in three youth-rated films (G, PG, and PG-13) included tobacco imagery.

The report highlights that studios outside the Motion Picture Association (MPA) were responsible for the majority of on-screen tobacco depictions. Companies such as Amazon, A24, and independent distributors released 69 films featuring tobacco use in 2024, compared with just eight from MPA member studios including Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, and Paramount. Notable titles with high numbers of tobacco incidents included A Complete Unknown (183), Back to Black (94), and Saturday Night (84). Youth-rated films such as Howl’s Moving Castle (83) and Thelma (77) also contained substantial imagery.

“Our findings reveal a resurgence of tobacco use on screen, particularly in films that reach young people,” said Sherry Emery, director of NORC’s Social Data Collaboratory. Experts caution that such portrayals can normalise nicotine use and undermine prevention and cessation efforts.

Dr. Jessica Rath, Senior Vice President at the Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, noted: “Despite years of progress and clear evidence of harm, tobacco imagery continues to appear across popular films. We know that exposure to smoking and vaping in entertainment increases the likelihood that young people will start using nicotine. This rise in depictions on screen threatens to reverse hard-won public health gains.”

The warning comes as youth tobacco use remains at a decade-low overall, yet 2.25 million U.S. middle and high school students still report using tobacco products. Nearly 40% of young e-cigarette users say they vape frequently, while oral nicotine pouch use nearly doubled among high school students between 2023 and 2024.

Public health experts are calling on the entertainment industry to take stronger steps to reduce youth exposure and support national efforts to prevent nicotine addiction.