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Smoking appears to be making a comeback within pop culture, bolstered by a number of celebrities, influencers and entertainers reportedly glamourising the habit. “Being a brat” has become popular among the younger generation, with the cult following of Charli XCX and her “pack of cigs and a Bic lighter” becoming a defining feature for the current zeitgeist. Celebrities such as Addison Rae, Paul Mescal and Rosalia, along with music videos and Oscar-nominated films featuring imagery of smoking, are contributing to the rise in the habit, which has become increasingly popular once again.
Despite the popularity of smoking amongst certain influencers and celebrities, the risks of smoking are well known. Cancer specialist Dr Misra-Sharp warns that even using small quantities of tobacco regularly can lead to serious diseases, notably lung cancer which has a five-year mortality rate of 90%. Though smoking has returned to the forefront of fashion, with models and celebrities sporting cigarettes as accessories, the rituals and traditional lifestyle choices that once accompanied cigarettes no longer exist. Update campaigns to highlight the risk of smoking and flourishing anti-smoking laws and prohibitions are likely to help curb the trend in the coming years.
Emerging from the trends of the 90s, the aesthetic of young and glamorous celebrities with cigarettes in hand is a popular phenomenon, admired by millions. The cigarette symbolises a bygone era of carefree spirit, while also representing the idea of rebellion and maturity. Journalist Olivia Petter suggests that it’s the element of nostalgia towards frivolity and hedonism that’s driving the resurgence of smoking in pop culture. While smoking practices reasonably declined, the adoption of vaping among young people is increasingly prevalent, although this trend has halted as it lost effect as the “new smoking”.
What’s popular today is the visual of a cigarette dangling from a model’s pout. While once considered flattering, this image now provokes anxiety and concerns among health professionals. Even though smoking is relatable to a laid-back and luxurious experience for many, the health risks it poses are crucial. With governments around the world toughening rules on tobacco consumption and the younger generation valuing health and wellbeing more than ever before, the return of smoking seems likely to be a passing trend.
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