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Pregnant-and-Smoking Zeta Jones Picture Reposted on Web
Photo Posted Despite Legal Threats, In Hopes of Saving Lives

Although many if not all websites which had posted pictures of a pregnant actress Catherine Zeta Jones smoking have now removed the pictures because of threats of legal action by Jones and husband Michael Douglas, a national antismoking organization has posted the picture on its web site to serve as a warning about the dangers of smoking.

On Wednesday lawyers for the powerful couple sent a cease-and-desist letter to Clear Channel Worldwide, which had posted the picture on its web sites.

Shortly thereafter the picture was removed from many if not most of the web sites where it had been posted -- both in the U.S. and abroad -- apparently as a result of threats of legal action.

But Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) -- which got the first antismoking messages on television, and helped force the government to release antismoking messages made by Brooke Shields -- has reposted the controversial photograph on its web site to educate people about the dangers of smoking.

"Here's a dramatic example of how a woman ,who clearly knows better, is willing to endanger her unborn child's life and health by engaging in activity which many believe is at least as dangerous to a fetus as using crack," says Professor John F. Banzhaf III, Executive Director of ASH.

"The fact that this intelligent and strong-willed woman, who clearly can afford the best smoking-cessation assistance available, would knowingly do this also dramatically illustrates how strong the strength of the addiction to nicotine can be," said Banzhaf.

"Unfortunately, many members of the public begin to pay attention to major medical problems --including addictions to alcohol, heroin, and nicotine -- only when it affects a famous person such as an actress," said Banzhaf.

"That's why it's so important for the world to be able to see this dramatic evidence of the dangers of smoking to both mother and child. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words, and this picture could well save a thousand lives if young girls see it and heed the warning before it's too late for them."