Save The Children

The number of tobacco brand appearances in US films aimed at children has not fallen significantly despite an agreement to stop them, a study says.

Major tobacco companies agreed to stop pushing for their products to be promoted in the arts from 1998.

Before the deal 15% of films aimed at children showed tobacco brand names, or trademarks, while after it, 12% did.

The study by Hanover's Dartmouth Medical School appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The findings contrasted to the sharp drop in tobacco brand appearances in adult films, which fell from 30% before the agreement to 13% after it.