Disney Smoke Free

In a letter to US congressman Edward Markey, Disney Studio’s chief executive, Robert A. Iger, said that cigarettes and smoking would be "non-existent" in forthcoming films from the mega company. Markey called this move "groundbreaking" and hoped other movie companies would follow suit. Anti-smoking groups in both America and the UK have backed the move.

I have no problem with this on the one hand, on quite the other, the BBC article in which this news comes mentions Cruella DeVille (from 101 Dalmations) as "rarely seen without a cigarette holder in her mouth." Well, duh. It’s called "characterization" and Cruella DeVille is a villain. Teens or kids who emulate characters like Cruella DeVille probably don’t need to live as long as those who do not, you know what I’m saying? Further, smoking cigarettes is probably the least of their crimes.

I understand that smoking is bad and that movies and other fare which depict "cool" characters indulging in such adult pursuits can be influential to young people, but don’t think for a second that they are going to act as responsibly when it comes to alcohol use. Regardless of what those damn hippies tell you about second-hand smoke, drunks kill people - whether by driving or just being drunk and reckless, or because they get filled with "liquid courage" and "stir-up some bullmess," to quote The Squidbillies.

Not to mention that I am so sick and tired of all these "do-gooders" telling the rest of us what to do and how to live. Now they're defacing classic artwork to make their "healthful" point!