Why is cigarette smoking making a comeback to TV and film?
CBC Arts | Posted: August 8, 2023 7:39 PM | Last Updated: August 8, 2023
Culture writers join the podcast to discuss the old habit making its way back to popular media
Last week Health Canada announced new regulations that will put warnings on individual cigarettes to dissuade young people from smoking.
Despite this one attempt to discourage young people from smoking, cigarettes may still appeal to youth for other reasons — characters in some of their favourite shows are doing it.
Though Netflix pledged in 2019 to eliminate smoking scenes from their original programming aimed at younger audiences, the streaming giant continues to air scenes depicting regular tobacco by characters seen in Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy, The Queen's Gambit.
There are growing concerns that depictions of smoking will have a strong influence on younger audiences who are curious to try it themselves.
So, why has cigarette smoking come back in vogue after decades of production studios keeping it off their screens?
Culture writers Olivia Rose Rushing and Anne T. Donahue joined Commotion host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss whose responsibility it is to limit young people's exposure to these depictions.
Rushing recently wrote an article all about this for Bustle titled: Why Are Cigarettes Suddenly Being Romanticized Again?
You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview with Olivia Rose Rushing & Anne T Donahue produced by Glory Omotayo and Stuart Berman.