They said parents should also help children and teenagers in the family eschew programs containing too many scenes related to smoking or tobacco products.

The Bureau of Health Promotion under the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH) conducted a survey of electronic media programs before the more restrictive anti-smoking regulations are set to take effect on Jan. 11, 2009.

The survey found that children and teenagers in Taiwan have been exposed to a high frequency of smoking scenes, especially in the movies.

Officials at the bureau pointed out that movies contain 20 times more smoking scenes or related images than in television programs.

Some popular movies like “Shaolin Soccer”, “Kungfu Hustle” and “Lust, Caution” favored by teenagers show smoking scenes or messages at a rate of every one or two minutes.

“Kungfu Hustle” has the highest number of scenes related to smoking.

Even the newest blockbuster “Cape No. 7” has 29 scenes, averaging one for every four minutes in the popular movie.

Even young children cannot escape from the smoke. One example was cartoon movie “One Piece” that has one scene about smoking in every episode. The frequency for “Crayon Shinchan” is 0.67 scene in each episode.

Overall, smoking scenes and related message appear 0.47 times in every TV program and 0.66 times in news program, according to the survey.

Fung Tsung-yi, a researcher at the health bureau, noted that tobacco companies, including the state-run Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Co., have found ways to send out messages concerning their products and services through the sponsorship of culture or public-interest events.

He said the Walt Disney Group of the U.S. has adopted a policy of showing no smoking scenes in its future films and other products.

He suggested that film production companies, screenwriters, artists and directors take the Disney policy for reference when they produce new art works.

The survey covered 157 TV programs about dramas, soap operas, variety shows, music performances,

sport games, and other recreational shows as well as 197 news programs during the period of July to September.

Eighty films, electronic games, and magazines hitting the market from 2007 to October 2008 were also included.

The new anti-smoking rules extended fines on violators and advertisers. But there are no rules regulating scenes of smoking in films or TV programs.