Anti-smoking ads can't be shown before 7:30pm

An anti-smoking advert by the Department of Health could frighten or distress young children because it preyed on their fears by suggesting their parents might die, the advertising watchdog has ruled.

More than 60 people complained that the Government's "Scared" campaign on TV and radio would cause children stress or worry by suggesting their parents could die imminently if they smoked.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the TV advert should not be shown again in its current form before 7.30pm.



In the advert, which begins in a darkened room, a child's voice says "I'm not scared of the dark", then "I'm not scared of spiders", and adds "I'm not scared of clowns". As a schoolgirl is shown scowling on a street corner, the voice-over continues: "I'm not scared of Becky Taylor." But as a woman is shown smoking as she talks to another woman in a school playground, the young girl's voice continues: "I'm scared of my mum smoking. I'm scared that my mum will die."

The ASA ruled that the "emotive" advert was likely to have more of an impact on adult smokers if their children were present and added that it "recognised the serious and worthwhile nature of the anti-smoking message".

But the regulator added: "We considered that hearing an otherwise fearless peer say she was scared her mum might die because she smoked could frighten and distress young children, particularly if they had misunderstood that the risk of death was imminent."