Walt Disney Co., responding to Congressional calls for Hollywood to discourage tobacco use, will eliminate cigarette smoking from some films.
Family movies from Disney, the first studio to make the pledge, won't show cigarette smoking, and executives will discourage scenes in Touchstone and Miramax productions, the Burbank, California-based company said today in a statement.
Disney also will include anti-smoking advertisements on DVDs with films that have cigarette smoking and will ask theater owners to run the ads before showing those movies. Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger made the commitment in a letter to Rep. Edward J. Markey, the Massachusetts Democrat who chairs the U.S. House Telecommunications and Internet subcommittee.
``Disney's decision to take a stand against smoking is groundbreaking,'' Markey said in a statement on his Web site. ``Now it's time for other media companies to similarly kick the habit and follow Disney's lead.''
The company declined to make executives available for comment. Disney's statement is ``cigarette specific,'' Markey spokeswoman Jessica Schafer said in an interview.
Iger has undertaken other health initiatives. This year, Disney theme parks will eliminate foods with trans fats that contribute to heart disease. The company will license characters only for foods low in sugar, fat and calories by the end of 2008.
Family movies from Disney, the first studio to make the pledge, won't show cigarette smoking, and executives will discourage scenes in Touchstone and Miramax productions, the Burbank, California-based company said today in a statement.
Disney also will include anti-smoking advertisements on DVDs with films that have cigarette smoking and will ask theater owners to run the ads before showing those movies. Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger made the commitment in a letter to Rep. Edward J. Markey, the Massachusetts Democrat who chairs the U.S. House Telecommunications and Internet subcommittee.
``Disney's decision to take a stand against smoking is groundbreaking,'' Markey said in a statement on his Web site. ``Now it's time for other media companies to similarly kick the habit and follow Disney's lead.''
The company declined to make executives available for comment. Disney's statement is ``cigarette specific,'' Markey spokeswoman Jessica Schafer said in an interview.
Iger has undertaken other health initiatives. This year, Disney theme parks will eliminate foods with trans fats that contribute to heart disease. The company will license characters only for foods low in sugar, fat and calories by the end of 2008.
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