Disney vows to stop smoking on screen

by Charlie McCathie Brand Republic 26-Jul-07, 09:00

LONDON - Walt Disney has pledged to ban smoking from its Disney branded films, becoming the first Hollywood studio to self-impose a ban on the depiction of smoking.

Robert Iger, Disney chief executive, revealed the news in a letter to US congressman Edward Markey, whose committee held a recent hearing on the effects of movie images on children.

Iger further pledged to place anti-smoking public service announcements on DVDs of any future films that feature cigarette smoking.

Iger said: "A villain can be bad without smoking. Heroes can be cool without smoking."

He said the company would "also encourage theatre owners to screen anti-smoking public service announcements" before such films.

Markey described Disney's commitment as "groundbreaking" and appealed to other studios to join the anti-smoking effort.

Markey said: "I am pleased that Disney is embracing a policy that is consistent with the long-term public health of the nation. Now it's time for other media companies to similarly kick the habit and follow Disney's lead."

Disney's move might have been prompted by the US film ratings board, which recently announced that it will now take smoking into account when classifying movies.

Cruella De Vil, from the 1961 film 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians', is one of Disney's most famous villains, and holds a cigarette holder to her mouth throughout the film. Another classic Disney film featuring smoking is 'Alice in Wonderland' featuring the hookah-toking caterpillar.

Other Disney films that feature smoking include: ‘Pinocchio’; ‘Cinderella’; ‘Peter Pan’; ‘Dumbo’; ‘Aladdin’; ‘The Little Mermaid’; ‘Hercules’; and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’.

Disney said it would also discourage smoking in films distributed by its Touchstone and Miramax arms, which include such upcoming films as the Coen Brothers 'No Country For Old Men' based on the Cormac McCarthy novel.

Comments

tracey steyn - 26/07/2007

Oh please, get real. Global society has much bigger issues to deal with than Cruella De Vil and the fabulous hokah-toking caterpillar. Disney, take a stand on violence, racism, exploitation and the environment to name a few.

Matthew Waring - 26/07/2007

Smoking is seen as an easy 'Evil' to stub out (as motorists are easy targets, speed cameras, restrictive parking, congestion charging, etc) - you know there are far worst ‘crimes’ taking place, which Tracy has eloquently covered above – It just pisses me off that the pc-right-on-liberal-we-invented-the-environment minority have such sway with the majority – time to fight back people!

Candy Day - 26/07/2007

I sometimes wonder is anything going to be enough? Surely cutting out smoking from Disney films is a good thing? Yes there are bigger fish to fry so to speak but at the end of the day, we can only do one thing at a time. Why are we as a nation so quick to criticise? Disney could declare a quest for world peace and someone would still have bad things to say!! I think good on Disney for making a stand and least starting to promote better living.

Gordon Macmillan - 26/07/2007

Sure there are bigger fish to fry, but it doesn't mean we can not fry them all. Smoking - and I loved smoking for a long time - is not something society should encourage in anyway shape or form. It is legalised poisen - slow death by carconegenics. Banning smoking in all public spaces was a long over due move.

simon atkins - 26/07/2007

Smoking is so last quarter, its all about being green this quarter. Disney is soooo behind the times

Peter Petrelli - 26/07/2007

about time

Joss Price - 26/07/2007

Come off it - Disney are banning smoking, not smiling. How can anyone possibly interpret this move as anything other than positive? Yes there are other social issues that need addressing but how exactly do critics of the stance Disney suggest they go about tackling it? Something tells me that if Snow White and the Seven Pissed-up bigots was released, the company would be slammed as being preachy. As for the environment, studioes have already tried. Anyone seen "The Rescuers Down Under" or "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest"? Thought not....