Teen video – without the teen
Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 10:23 The British Lung Foundation posted a new video on its website this week.
It's called Smoking in cars - teen video and it features actors Neil Fitzmaurice from Peep Show and Hollyoaks’ Jazmine Franks playing a father and his teenage daughter.
Fitzmaurice's character tries – without success – to light a cigarette in his car. Franks, dressed as a schoolgirl, then jumps in the back and says, angrily:
"Dad, will you please stop smoking in the car. Ma mates says I stink of ciggies. You wouldn't smoke in the house."
The film cuts backs to Fitzmaurice who is still attempting, and failing, to light a cigarette with the use of a dud lighter that he eventually shakes with frustration.
Despite this Franks begins to cough furiously. We then see her wearing a gas mask and shrieking, "Dad, why won't you listen to me?!"
A voiceover tells us that "More than 430,000 children are exposed to second-hand smoke in family cars at least once a week". Naturally there is no source for this highly dubious estimate, nor is there a link to the relevant 'research'.
Viewers are then asked, 'Do you want to ban smoking in cars with children?' and invited to vote 'Yes' or 'No'. (If you have time I urge you to vote No.)
Meanwhile I have just Googled 'How old is Jazmine Franks?'. Apparently she was 21 this year, so not a teenager at all.
I was also tempted to Google 'Smoking in cars teen video'. On reflection, that might be a bad idea. Goodness knows what I'll find.
Reader Comments (2)
You take issue with a charity wanting to improve the health of children? Why should anybody's health be implicated by the selfishness of smokers?
Also, you will find all of the details about the campaign, the sources and research on the brilliantly informative blf website, so you really must try harder next time if you want to discredit such a wonderful organisation.
Is complaining about the actress not being a teen really the best you can do? That's like complaining about Daniel Radcliffe playing the role of Harry Potter when he isn't really a wizard. Again, you really must try harder.
Does anyone ever carry out a check on how much wages the 'experts/consultants' in these Charity/Quango/Foundations are getting.
A check in Ireland revealed that one of these 'charity' guys was earning more than the Prime minister.
And the reason given for this outrage was 'if you pay peanuts you get monkeys'!