Smoking is not fashionable. It is evident that it is not. Smoking is becoming less and less, banning smoking on terraces is being considered, and in some countries it is proposed to restrict the sale of tobacco to people born after a certain year. Smoking is not fashionable, which is why it is so strange that so many cigarettes have been seen everywhere in the last year.
A few months ago, the British media The Independent noted that during London Fashion Week in February, cigarettes became a key accessory in several collections. Designer Edward Crutchley presented models with unlit cigarettes as a tribute to the indulgence of the Greek god Dionysus. Another artist, Sinead Gorey, included cigarette packets in her collection, inspired by the British adolescence of the 2000s, and finally, stylist Aaron Esh evoked the image of Kate Moss with cigarettes and retro fashion. It is a return with a lot of aesthetics: the indie sleaze aesthetic of the 2000s returns, that is, that updated spirit of grunge and punk in which cigarette smoke was an environmental essential. The DJs smoke while they DJ, the viral stars of the video smoke 360 by Charli XCX.
The article of The Independent He cited some of the most important premieres of last year, in which the notable number of cigarettes that were lit was striking. One of those examples was OppenheimerChristopher Nolan’s last Oscar-winning film, in which Cillian Murphy, who had already proven to be a consummate smoker in Peaky Blinders, appeared in almost any shot either with a cigarette hanging from the corner of his lip or with a pipe in hand. In Teacherhe biopic that Bradley Cooper dedicated to the composer Leonard Bernstein, it was difficult not to notice that the character always had a lit cigarette, even in situations that were not conducive to smoking, such as lying down or jumping rope.
Like They know that by David Trueba, a film dedicated to the comedian Eugenio that begins with a warning message about the amount of tobacco that will appear on screen, the two aforementioned films reflect a previous era where tobacco consumption was more frequent. However, according to an analysis of Truth Initiativean organization dedicated to smoking prevention, to find a smoke-free environment among last year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees, one would have to go to Barbie. Of the 10 films nominated for the top Oscar prize, all except the one directed by Greta Gerwig feature smoking scenes.
In addition to movies, this year’s report revealed troubling trends across the entertainment spectrum. The number of tobacco depictions in top programs for 15- to 24-year-olds increased by 110% between 2021 and 2022. The report also indicated that cigarette images in the most watched programs almost quadrupled, and that videos doubled Musicals of the most popular songs contained images of tobacco. A current study of Truth Initiative found that more than a third of 15- to 24-year-olds surveyed who used YouTube, TikTok and Twitch reported having been exposed to images featuring smoking-related products.
Finally, a recent study by the Spanish Association Against Cancer and the consulting firm Lasker, titled Spanish influencers and the impact of digital smoke on young people, found that a large proportion of young people between 18 and 24 years old consider smoking to be “fashionable”, influenced by public figures on social networks. This exposure to “digital smoke” is worrying, given its potential to normalize tobacco consumption among younger people.
Francisco Camarelles Guillem, delegate of the National Committee for the Prevention of Smoking, is clear: “Tobacco consumption is a social issue. If there is a perception that it is not fashionable, that it is a harmful product, or that it is not modern, more people will be encouraged to quit or simply not start. In addition, he assures that numerous studies have shown that many films that feature tobacco products, and even show the brand, receive financing from the tobacco industry. “It is crucial to address these covert marketing strategies and strengthen regulation to protect young people from exposure to tobacco in the media and social networks,” he argues.
Classic film actors such as Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, and Marlene Dietrich built much of their image and career relying on their ability and good manners to hold a cigar. It is a tradition that has survived in the most recent audiovisual arts. One of the fashionable actors, Jeremy Allen White, has made his trademark in series like Shameless and The Bear the enviable skill he has at leaving his cigarette resting on his lip.
Not everyone is in favor of using this resource. Photographer Francis Tsang is glad that little by little, in general terms, the use of tobacco as an aesthetic accessory in fashion and cinema has gone out of fashion. “It is an outdated resource, typical of bygone times of photography, like the portrait of Keith Richards by Annie Leibovitz,” he maintains. According to the photographer, using cigarettes to occupy the hands of those portrayed is an uncreative tactic. He believes that photographers who use this resource lack the imagination to find more original ways to capture their subjects. “In movies 30 years ago, you could identify the bad guy because he was the only one who smoked.”
Pierre, a 28-year-old journalist, confesses that despite not being a smoker, he finds it attractive and aesthetic to see other people smoking. “I like people to smoke because it looks aesthetic and attractive. Furthermore, it seems to me that it is a habit that has a special value because it is extremely useless (and, therefore, very human): it does not alter perception, nor does it intoxicate, nor does it make you slower or faster. At most, it serves to be cool.” Playing the pimp is precisely what unites Woody Allen’s character in Manhattan and the boy from the viral video Patricia’s Diary.
It is not the taste of tobacco that they like the most. Not even the post-nursing craving to have something in their mouth can stop them. They smoke because they look more attractive, because smoking is also an aesthetic fact. Antonio Escohotado, a smoker of up to three packs a day, always using TarGard mouthpieces to reduce tar, maintained that one of the greatest contributions of tobacco is to provide choreography to the hands. Not having to think about where to put them during socially awkward situations.
But this, in reality, has more to do with subjective perception. There is some evidence to suggest that people who post on Tinder that they smoke may be less successful. A study carried out by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) created two Tinder profiles of the same woman, one with a cigarette and one without. Over the course of a week, only 29% of men swiped right on the profile with the cigarette, compared to 54% who swiped right on the profile without the cigarette. Another study published last year by the dating app maker dua.comdetermined that smokers receive 52.7 percent fewer matches than non-smokers.
In short, contrary to what Woody Allen’s character said in Manhattan, smoking no longer makes you more attractive. The best proof is Lana del Rey, known for her retro aesthetic that pays homage to the best of old Hollywood, who has recently taken up vaping. Although cigarettes were a distinctive element of her image, she has not hesitated to adapt to the vaping fashion. She is so convinced of her decision that, last year, she accepted a puff from a vaper offered to her by a fan and at another concert she asked the audience for help finding her lost e-cigarette. It is the discreet charm of vaping.
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