Tibor Szilagyi (Hungary): Role models against smoking

The help of well-known or famous persons can be crucial in successfully influencing the opinion of the public towards non-smoking. People use to listen to the role models from both in- and outside the country. The role models' opinions or even their participation in anti-smoking campaigns as messengers may enhance the impact of the information communicated to the public, and may effectively contribute to the decrease of the social acceptance of smoking and the adoption of non-smoking as a social norm.

In what follows, you can find some comments on smoking and quitting smoking made by famous people working in the entertaining industry.

Hayden Christensen, actor, Canada (Hayden Christensen stars in the new sequel of Star Wars):

Christensen's father found out his son was a smoker when he saw the picture of him in Sydney, during the filming of Attack of the Clones, with a cigarette in his mouth. "He was disappointed in me," says Christensen. "I don't condone smoking. It's stupid. But I still do it." Perhaps this hardworking, hothouse kid is going through a delayed phase of teenage rebellion. (William Leith: About a boy. The Sydney Morning Herald, April 13-14, 2002)

 

Antónia Erős, star reporter, Hungary:

"The first cigarette in my life... It was terrible. So much, in that place I promised: I will never do it again. ... The truth is that later, in the high school I sometimes smoked one or two cigarettes. But nowadays I never light up. The main reason for this is my husband, Laci, who hates the smell of cigarettes. And I do like Laci very much." (http://www.necc.hu/kamasz, in Hungarian)

 

Bono, singer, U2:

Having picked up the bad habit of inhaling the cheroots he puffed on the Zoo TV tour, Bono became a full-fledged smoker while on the road; a habit which, combined with a severe sinus infection, had a disastrous effect on his voice...which he lost on more than a few tour dates, particularly the band's history-making show in Sarajevo. Fortunately, after the tour, he was admitted to the hospital to have the problem corrected and has since quit smoking, after doctors told him it would permanently damage his singing. (http://server3002.freeyellow.com/mgb1958/bono.html)

 

Jennifer Connelly, actress, USA:

"Still, motherhood has meant change: she is no longer a smoker or a recluse." (Karen S. Schneider about Oscar winning actress Jennifer Connelly, in: WHO Weekly Australia, April 1, 2002)

 

Geri Halliwell, singer, former Spice Girl:

Do you regret anything? "I wish I didn't smoke. I try to quit, but it's just too hard. Other than that, no, I don't have any regrets." (Geri Halliwell in an interview given to Cosmopolitan (Australia), September 2001)

 

Christy Turlington, model, US:

"In my life, there are two people in my family who have quit smoking. Me and my Dad. For me it took seven years. Nothing worked. When I finally did quit for good, I knew it was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. My dad, it was different for him. He stopped December 1996, just six months before he died from lung cancer." (Christy Turlington, model, http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/christy/telly.htm)

 

Kate Winslet, actress, UK:

In 1999:

"I cannot live without my daily nicotine and coffee injections. It's sad, but what can I tell you? I'm a true Brit!" (http://www.layla.org.uk/looks_magazine_march99.htm)

In 2000:
"I gave up smoking when I found out I was pregnant and I always thought that, once she was born, I would want to rush out and have a cigarette but I haven't done that and I don't think I ever will". (Daily Mail (UK), November 3, 2000)

"I've stopped smoking and I've become a much calmer, softer person." (Telegraph (UK), November 20, 2000)