New York: Ahead of the World No Tobacco Day on May 31, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned Bollywood and Hollywood film industry against glamourising tobacco use and allowing themselves to be used as "vehicles of death and disease".

"No Tobacco Day" demonstrations in Mumbai, the world's biggest film and fashion capital, and Hollywood, the US movie capital, will highlight how the two industries are used to promote tobacco, the UN agency said.

"We know that young people who see more tobacco use on the screen are much more likely to try smoking. Hollywood knows it and the tobacco companies know it. The time has come to put an end to it," said Derek Yach, Executive Director of WHO's Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health section.

The appeal to the two industries comes a week after the WHO's 192 member states adopted the first global treaty calling for measures to reduce tobacco use.

WHO said the "No Tobacco Day" this year will focus on the role of the fashion and film industries in fostering a worldwide epidemic.

"The world of film and fashion cannot be accused of causing cancer. But they should not promote a product that does," WHO said in a statement.

A WHO study on Indian films showed 80 per cent depicted tobacco use.

"This is a very worrying trend which urgently needs to be reversed," said Shigeru Omi, Regional Director of WHO's Western Pacific Region.

PTI