A Star Wars–themed public service announcement (PSA) produced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services began airing in 1980 and starred the droids C-3PO and R2-D2, who warned children about the dangers of smoking. The television spot consisted of a skit in which C-3PO finds R2-D2 smoking a cigarette, prompting C-3PO to explain the negative physical effects of smoking and how the two of them should set a good example for Humans.
In the 60-second version of the PSA, the droid C-3PO is using an electronic device when he begins searching for the droid R2-D2 and sees a puff of smoke behind an aisle. At first he thinks his counterpart is on fire, but then notices the droid smoking a cigarette. C-3PO chastises his friend, telling him that smoking does not make him grown-up and is harmful to the lungs and heart. When R2-D2 beeps a reply, C-3PO says that although R2-D2 doesn't have a heart, Humans do and the droids should set a good example for them. R2-D2 drops the cigarette and C-3PO praises him. He then directly addresses audience and reiterates the points he made to R2-D2, telling them not to smoke. While the words "A message from a distant galaxay [sic] far, far away" appear, C-3PO asks if R2-D2 believes that he really doesn't have a heart.
In the 30-second version of the PSA, C-3PO finds R2-D2 with a cigarette and orders him to put it down because it is dangerous. He explains that it doesn't make him grown-up and is harmful to the lungs and heart. When R2-D2 beeps a reply, C-3PO says that although R2-D2 doesn't have a heart, Humans do and the droids should set a good example for them. R2-D2 drops the cigarette and C-3PO praises him. While the words "A message from a distant galaxy far, far away" appear, C-3PO directly tells the audience: "Please, don't smoke."
The PSA was distributed by the US Department of Health and Human Services in 1980. According to C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels, he wrote the commercial himself during a hospital stay that forced him to miss the 1980 premiere of The Empire Strikes Back. Daniels said the PSA was intended to be aired again in 1997, but it was deemed to be promoting the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy, which disqualified it as a PSA.