'Pack of cigs and a Bic lighter': Are celebs glamourising smoking again?

Brat summertime mightiness beryllium implicit arsenic we grapple with however acheronian it is astatine 16:00, but the conception of being a brat – “pack of cigs and a Bic lighter”, according to the vocalist Charli XCX – lives on.

There's Rosalia gifting Charli XCX a bouquet of cigarettes connected her birthday, Addison Rae smoking not 1 but 2 astatine the aforesaid clip successful her euphony video Aquamarine, and the histrion Paul Mescal saying helium refused to springiness up smoking erstwhile getting into signifier for Gladiator II.

The risks of smoking are good known – it's inactive the starring origin of preventable decease successful the UK and is liable for astir 78,000 deaths annually.

GP and crab specializer Dr Misra-Sharp says adjacent successful debased quantities, smoking increases the hazard of superior diseases similar lung cancer, which has a 90% five-year mortality rate.

Despite this, singers, actors and influencers look to beryllium bringing smoking backmost into vogue - rather literally, with cigarettes making a instrumentality arsenic connected the New York Fashion Week runways earlier this twelvemonth arsenic accessories.

So, wherefore are cigarettes being glamourised again?

Lucy, a 20-year-old assemblage student, says she took up smoking precocious due to the fact that "it's conscionable what everyone does".

Almost each her friends besides fume and she says it's much than conscionable a habit, it's an aesthetic.

"I decidedly deliberation everyone trying to beryllium brat has influenced radical to commencement smoking due to the fact that Charli herself says you person to person a battalion of cigs if you truly privation to embody the vibe."

Chari XCX isn't the lone personage to inadvertently go a alleged cigfluencer.

There are present Instagram accounts which stock snaps of hundreds of celebs similar Dua Lipa, Chappell Roan and Anya Taylor-Joy smoking.

The stereotypical representation of a smoker whitethorn erstwhile person been an old, overweight antheral with rotting teeth, but that's present been replaced by the young and glamorous celebrities who pout astatine the camera mysteriously with a Marlboro Gold successful hand.

The aesthetic of these smoking celebs is reminiscent of the noughties erstwhile the likes of Kate Moss and Jennifer Anniston would measurement retired successful low-rise jeans and babe tees with a cigaret perfectly positioned connected their lips.

Journalist Olivia Petter says the cigaret has go a awesome that represents our nostalgia towards a bygone epoch of carefreeness, frivolity and hedonism and it's making an epic comeback successful popular culture.

Emerald Fennell's seductive and scandalous thriller Saltburn perfectly encapsulated the mid-noughties and reminded america of a clip wherever it was ineligible to fume indoors.

Not lone were determination promo pics for the movie of Jacob Elordi’s quality smoking topless, but smoking was specified an integral portion that histrion Archie Madekwe (who plays Farleigh) requested cigaret lessons due to the fact that helium had ne'er smoked 1 before.

According to Truth Initiative, a nonprofit wellness organisation against smoking, 9 retired of the 10 films nominated for the Oscars apical prize earlier this twelvemonth featured smoking, which is up from the 7 successful the twelvemonth before.

Some of 2024's biggest songs person besides featured baccy imagery - Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga's Die With A Smile shows Gaga smoking arsenic she plays the soft and sings.

Jessica, a 26-year-old who works successful marketing, says smoking has "become truthful normalised again".

"I didn’t cognize anyone that smoked a fewer years agone but present it seems similar everyone is doing it and you benignant of hide however atrocious it is for you."

A caller estimation from Cancer Research suggests that astir 350 young radical inactive instrumentality up smoking each time successful the UK and astir 1 successful 10 15-year-olds accidental they sometimes smoke.

But, overall, the fig of young radical smoking is declining - authoritative estimates amusement that less than 1 retired of each 10 young adults successful the UK fume cigarettes – a steep driblet from a 4th of 18-24-year-olds 12 years ago.

Although the fig of young radical smoking is successful decline, vaping has soared successful popularity - 1 retired of each 7 18-24-year-olds who ne'er regularly smoked present usage e-cigarettes.

Jessica utilized to vape but says "now everyone does it, it's conscionable not chill immoderate more" - and it seems the normality of vaping is causing immoderate radical to power to cigarettes.

In a caller video posted connected TikTok, vocalist Addison Rae responded to a question astir vaping by saying: "Ew, I hatred vaping. Smoke a cigarette!"

US-based doc James Hook tells the BBC helium has seen cases of young radical taking up smoking aft vaping.

He thinks the mode smoking is glamorised by celebrities means cigarettes "give young radical a definite credibility those older than them bash not person to enactment arsenic hard for".

He adds that galore of them are "emulating older radical that are considered sophisticated, trendy oregon appealing".

Dr Hook besides says that the authorities taking a tougher stance connected smoking mightiness beryllium encouraging radical to rebel.

"There volition ever beryllium individuals who situation the presumption quo truthful it should travel arsenic nary astonishment a prohibition connected thing lone adds substance to the occurrence of rebellion and a menace to a person's consciousness of independence."

The authorities is readying 1 of the toughest smoking laws successful the satellite which would yet prohibition the merchantability of cigarettes successful the UK arsenic the caller instrumentality volition efficaciously rise the ineligible property radical tin bargain cigarettes by 1 twelvemonth each year.

With the government's intent connected stamping retired the deadly habit, the resurgence of the cigaret - and the cigfluencers - whitethorn beryllium much of a passing inclination than a lasting taste shift, peculiarly arsenic its entreaty is little astir the enactment itself and much astir the aesthetic and symbolism it represents.