Cllr Bedser is Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and chair of the Birmingham Tobacco Control Alliance so he has good fussbucket credentials. And the fine gent thinks that smoking should be banned on "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!"
During this episode a contestant, Helen Flanagan, was filmed repeatedly as she smoked. Whilst I understand that the episode was broadcast after the ‘watershed’ I am of the strong view that the frequency of this image was such that it condoned, encouraged and glamorized smoking, especially by young girls. There was no editorial justification for including these particular scenes.
And, this particular fussbucket argues, this is all for the children who will rush out and start smoking because they've seen some celebrity (of sorts) having a drag on telly. In a 'reality' show - you know, one that's like real life*. The real life where people smoke.
Cllr Bedser has inhaled the full anti-smoking bible - 'denormalisation' is the game and:
Smoking initiation is associated with a range of risk factors, including exposure to tobacco marketing and depictions of smoking in films, television and other media.
This is thoughtless kneejerk fussbucketry - peers and parents are overwhelmingly the drivers of smoking 'initiation' not seeing some star with a fag.
*OK "I'm a celebrity..." is only tentatively connected to reality.
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