Arnie against calls for movie smoking ban

Arnold Schwarzenegger has hit back at "ludicrous" calls for cigarettes to be banned from movies.

Research has suggested that smoking scenes in films can encourage youngsters to light up themselves, but Schwarzenegger has insisted that the proposed ban is not the best way to discourage the practice.

"I personally don't believe that we should erase cigarettes in movies. I don't believe that we should erase it when someone smokes a cigar in a movie. I think that we should remind people and kids all the time about the dangers of smoking," the actor and California governor explained.

"To suddenly tell actors not to smoke a cigarette in a movie when they portray a character is ludicrous. I think this is going too far."

Speaking about how he deals with his own four children, he added: "Even though you see me every so often light up a cigar, I let them know not to ever try it."