HEALTH officials in Liverpool plan to rate pipe- smoking Popeye cartoons with 18 certificates to try to stop youngsters taking up the habitdemon weed.

The Primary Care Trust says its plan to ban the promotion of smoking in films includes cartoons, which means if the spinach-loving sailor ever makes a return to the silver screen he will be smoked out of Liverpool cinemas.

When asked if Popeye and his smoking pipe were to appear in a new cartoon,, not suitably repentant about his habit, PCT bosses confirmed the film would appear under an 18 rating.

However, they confirmed that wooden fibber Pinocchio would escape the censors’ fury because the rules will only cover films to be released after the ban is imposed.

But it means that other cartoon favourites, including Bugs Bunny and Herman the smoking baby, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, will also end up 18-rated if they turn up in any new movies from now on.

A consultation on the plans is already under way, but city leaders say they are sceptical that the proposals are no more than “censorship”.

Cllr Paula Keaveney, Liberal Democrat executive member for ethical governance, said she had fully supported the smoking ban but there was “no rational argument” that children and young people are likely to be seduced by smoking seen in films.

She added: “It strikes me this is just interfering with artistic product and censorship, and it doesn’t strike me that it will have the desired effect.

“I haven’t taken to the hills and become a revolutionary since I saw the film about Che Guevara.”