Smoking.

The ideas, connotations and people's perceptions of the act of smoking, as well as the smokers themselves, has changed dramatically especially in the last few years. Since the smoking bans arrival in England on 1st July 2007, creating "Smokefree England" (http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/) along with it's ban in most of the American states and also the ban on cigarette advertisements in the UK since October 2002 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2350035.stm) the smoking habit is now more like a taboo and frowned upon within society instead of an accepted past time that was once considered not only common place but also sexy.

Therefore when discussing smoking in a cultural sense nowadays I believe there is generally only one kind of message being communicated. I have found that the inclusion of smoking in any media text now is very rare and if it is, it is surrounded mainly by negativity.

One example is the way smoking is now viewed in gossip magazines such as "OK" and "Hello". Once upon a time, the writers of such magazines would not bat an eyelid at a celeb lighting up and puffing away. However now, photos of celebrities in the company of a cigarette are big news. They usually end up taking up half a page, the offending cigarette in full view and accompanied by a caption discussing the activity. Celebrities such as Robert Pattinson (pictured), who are the "names one everyone's lips", are usually "tutted" at for taking part in such habits as it is "disgusting", "dirty" and a "bad thing for a role model to do". You wouldn't believe only 60 years ago it was quite the opposite with smoking being the"in thing". You would find celebrities of the time posing with their cigraettes for professional photoshoots. It even added to their appeal. Just look at Audrey Hepburn and you'll see what I mean.

When asked in lecture to think of iconic "smoking" moments within film and television, I struggled. I instantly tried to think of examples from modern times like from films and programmes I had watched recently ,but drew a blank. However, it was an idea that stuck with me for weeks later and had me watching everything with this thought : who is smoking and why?

The results were interesting and the best example that proved the new cultural reading of smoking, was EastEnders.


For starters, hardly anyone on the square smokes anymore. At one time the "Queen Vic" would be clouded in smoke, which argueably added a sense of realism and atmosphere, however now the pub, just like British pubs today, are completely smoke free.

Characters who are already established smokers within the programme, such as Dot Branning, have even cut down the habit. The only time I saw her smoke during a weeks worth of viewing was when the stress of who the murderer in the square got too much.

After this, the only other person who I noticed smoking in the programme was a few episodes later when Max Branning smoked a whole cigarette on screen to communicate to the audience the stress he felt after his son had commited suicide.

The basic message was, that people only smoke to ease stress, not for pleasure.

So, in the style of that catchy Dettol advert, Smoking has changed. Fact.

Being a non-smoker myself I do appreciate the new smoking ban in public places, however I am not an anti-smoker and do see it as a discrimination to tar everyone with the same brush, pardon the pun. Not all smokers deserve to be shoved out to the cold bus shelters for a fag in the middle of winter and nor do they all deserve this new stereotype of needing release. Not everybody smokes for the same reasons.

Personally, I do still find the act of smoking a rather attractive thing, if it wasn't for the health risks.