Arshad Warsi, who shot to fame with Munnabhai M.B.B.S, has received a letter from the National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication’s (NOTE) General Secretary Shekhar Salkar on Friday for smoking in a public area while shooting.

 

Arshad Warsi was shooting in south Goa and actor Tusshar Kapoor was also present there. His letter read, “The photograph showing you signing autographs with a cigarette in hand and surrounded by young girls was given wide publicity by the press in Goa. It shows that many film personalities like you have scant respect for the law prohibiting smoking in public places.” It also read, “You are advised not to smoke because it will improve your health and also it will prevent a number of young people from starting to smoke.”

 

Explaining about the effect cine stars have on the general public, the letter read, "Purely, from a moral point of view, cine personalities should not smoke in public since your fans are likely to copy your actions and start smoking, which will damage their health."

 

He was also asked to the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COPTA).

 

The Principal of Chowgule college in Margao, where the shooting took place, was asked to pay a fine as COPTA for allowing smoking in his institution. The Principal ended up paying as Warsi was not available there.

 

The NOTE had earlier booked cases against Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan for directly or indirectly promoting smoking. They had even been dragged to the court.