Disney announced last week that it will no longer feature smoking in its future PG-13-rated productions.

The ban also applies to movies by Marvel, Pixar, and LucasFilm.

"We are extending our policy to prohibit smoking in movies across the board," Disney CEO Bob Iger told shareholders.

However, an exception will be made if a person depicted in film was a smoker in real life.

"For instance, we've been doing a movie on Abraham Lincoln, he was a smoker, and we would consider that acceptable," Iger said. "But in terms of any new characters that are created for any of those films, under any of those labels, we will absolutely prohibit smoking in any of those films."

One shareholder, Stanton Glantz , a University of California at San Francisco medicine professor, asked if banning smoking in rated R-films was also being considered.

"I think it would be a little bit presumptuous of me to commit to doing that today without getting a little bit more of a flavor or perspective on the dynamic that exists at the (Motion Picture Association of America) MPAA on the subject," Iger responded.

"I'm just not well versed in that. I don't know what positions the other studios have even taken about this."

He added that smoking in films accessible to minors is a "serious issue" that he would discuss with the MPAA.

Professor Glantz is one of the founders of lobby group Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, and a renowned anti-smoking activist.

Disney has also been called to reform the depiction of circus animals in the upcoming live-action remake of "Dumbo." Animal rights advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have urged director Tim Burton to change the classic film's ending.

"We're hopeful that in your adaptation of 'Dumbo,' the young elephant and his mother can have a truly happy ending by living out their lives at a sanctuary instead of continuing to be imprisoned and abused in the entertainment industry," PETA vice president Lisa Lange wrote in an open letter.

Neither Burton nor Disney have publicly responded to the request.