The Hindu : National : Top stars must stop smoking in films: Anbumani

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Monday, Jan 28, 2008
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Top stars must stop smoking in films: Anbumani

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has urged Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan to desist from smoking in their films.

“The movies are most responsible (for encouraging smoking). When I said movies should not have smoking scenes we have statistics which show that 52 per cent of children have their first puff of a cigarette because of movie celebrities,” he said.

“..I have already made appeals to Shahrukh Khan...I would like to make an appeal to him and Amitabh Bachchan and all other personalities,” Mr. Ramadoss said in an interview to Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN’s Devil’s Advocate programme. He was also critical of Mr. Khan for smoking at a cricket match.

Questioned on his pet theme of pictorial warnings on cigarette and bidi packets, he said, “I am sure they would be very effective. All this time we have been saying things to people. But I believe it is now time to scare them.”

In contrast to developed countries. tobacco incidence was going up frighteningly in India, the Minister said. — PTI

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