By: E&P Staff When Sean Penn met the press in Tororto on Sunday to discuss the screening of his new film, "All the King's Men," at the Toronto International Film Festival, his remarks calling President a "Beelzebub" but "a dumb one" drew wide attention. Some reporters also noted, in passing, that the famously chain-smoking actor had been allowed to light up one or more cigarettes during the press conference, which was against the law.
Now some officials in Ontario are calling for him to be charged -- with something. "He should be charged," Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson said Wednesday, in marking the first 100 days of the province's new anti-smoking law -- which has already led to 500 tickets for violations (but none to Penn). Penalties average about $105.
It's called the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which outlaws smoking in indoor public spaces, even press conferences with reporters.
Penn's puffing "was such a flagrant breach of the law," said Michael Perly, executive director of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco. "It absolutely should be a target."
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here