The Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) response to calls for smoking to be considered in movie ratings is being slammed as a half-measure by some antismoking advocates.

The San Jose Mercury News reported June 12 that Ellen Vargyas, general counsel of the American Legacy Foundation, said the MPAA policy amounted to, "'We'll look at smoking, and if the spirit moves us, we may issue a warning.' But there are no standards."

American Medical Association chairman Cecil B. Wilson added, "the MPAA has ignored the gravity of the health threat that on-screen smoking poses to children and teens."

Advocates had called for the MPAA to slap an "R" rating on all films where smoking is depicted. Instead, the group promised to warn parents when a movie "glamorizes" smoking.

"There is a very, very small fringe that has taken an unyielding, and increasingly unreasonable position on this," says MPAA spokesperson Seth Oster. "And they fail to recognize anything as being constructive if it falls short of their extreme demands."

"Many people seem to misunderstand the rating system to be an agent of social change, when in fact that's exactly the opposite of what it is," continued Oster. "It is not intended to change behavior. It is for parents, so they can make informed decisions about what movies they do and don't want their kids to see. And that's it."