Anti-smoking messages to appear on DVDs

BOSTON — Film industry veterans Bob and Harvey Weinstein will put anti-smoking video messages on DVDs of movies in which people smoke — a move sought by U.S. states to combat teen smoking.

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"These messages will fight false film images of healthy and hip smokers with the real hard truth of addiction and disease," Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement Tuesday announcing the agreement.

Forty-one U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and two U.S. territories last month sent free anti-smoking ads to the Weinstein Co. and 12 other movie studios in hopes of persuading them to include the messages.

The attorneys general of 32 states a year ago asked Hollywood's major movie studios to place an anti-smoking message on DVDs, videos and other home entertainment products.

The Weinstein brothers, founders of moviemaker Miramax Films, were the first to respond, Blumenthal said.

Beginning with December's release of "Clerks II" by director Kevin Smith, Weinstein's DVDs will include an anti-smoking ad aimed at discouraging kids from lighting up.

"As a former smoker, I feel like it's my responsibility to do everything I can to educate young people about the dangers of smoking," Harvey Weinstein said in a statement.

Anti-smoking groups have intensified pressure on Hollywood this year, calling in July for the Motion Picture Association of America to require an "R" rating for movies with a non-historical depiction of smoking.

Hollywood's major movie studios are owned by media conglomerates including Time Warner Inc., The Walt Disney Co., General Electric Co., News Corp., Viacom Inc. and Sony Corp. Miramax is owned by Walt Disney.