Disney Bans Smoking in Branded Films

BURBANK, July 26: The Walt
Disney Company has announced that it will ban cigarette smoking in all of its
branded family-friendly features, and will “discourage” the practice in all other
movie titles from the studio, including those from Touchstone and Miramax.

It making its commitment
to U.S. Representative Edward J. Markey, the chairman of the House
Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, Disney also said it would
place an anti-smoking PSA on DVDs of any future film that does depict smoking.
Further, Disney will work with cinemas to encourage the exhibition of an
anti-smoking PSA before the theatrical exhibition of any such film.

Representative Markey said
Disney’s decision “to take a stand against smoking is groundbreaking and I
commend CEO Bob Iger for this important commitment. Now it’s time for other
media companies to similarly kick the habit and follow Disney’s lead.”

Disney’s move comes just a
few months since the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) announced
that smoking in movies would be considered alongside sex and violence in
assessing their suitability for young viewers.