Opinions

Hollywood Studios Defend Freedom to Have Smoking in Movies Rated Suitable for Children

The major film studios, their trade association and theater owners don’t want to be held hostage to any misguided morality play — not one that seeks to force them not to have any movies with tobacco imagery rated G, PG or PG-13. On Friday, they filed court papers asking a judge to reject a putative class action that blames them for children becoming addicted to nicotine. The lawsuit was filed …