July 25, 2007 – Disney Announces Discouragement of Smoking in Films
“We discourage depictions of cigarette smoking in Disney, Touchstone, and Miramax films.” – Disney President and CEO Robert A. Iger
On July 25, 2007, The Walt Disney Company made an official announcement that they will no longer depict smoking in any of their films. In a letter sent to U.S. Representative Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, Disney President and CEO Bob Iger wrote that the company will not only prevent depictions of smoking in films, but will also place an anti-smoking ad on any DVD release of a film that features cigarette smoking. Although the company had made this direction known since 2004, this was the first official announcement of the company’s intent.
