Pregnant Richie extinguishes smoking tale

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Hollywood starlet Nicole Richie is denying media reports she has been smoking while pregnant, it was reported Tuesday.

"It's really very sad and hurtful that journalists don't believe in checking facts before writing false and unsubstantiated stories about my health and my pregnancy," Richie wrote in a statement released to Access Hollywood. "The healthy birth of my child is my No. 1 priority."

Richie, the adopted daughter of singer Lionel Richie, is expecting her first child with boyfriend Joel Madden.

Richie is best-known for her hit reality TV series, "The Simple Life," in which she starred with on-again, off-again pal Paris Hilton.