The Allure of Smoking
There is no shortage of what I'll call "smoking-come-hither" pics on the 'net or in the popular culture. Its obvious that the connection between smoking, paticularly in females, and sex is very real and explited in movies, advertisements, etc.
I guess the big question is the chicken and the egg argument. Do we all make the connection between smoking and sexy because of classic smoking pics like the one of Mamie Van Doren on the left, or do the people who push their movies and products on us use sultry smoking pictures because the connection between smoking and sex is just naturally there?
I've got to go with option A. A brief reading of the pop culture history of this country shows us that not too long ago smoking was frowned upon by "respectable" women, and that a half century of advertising and promotion basically evolved into a society where women were slightly more likely to be smokers than me. Of course, this was done primarily through the use of beautiful women smoking or at least posing as smokers, with the result being the implied connection between smoking and sexual attractiveness.
Even in the harsh anti-smoking climate of today, the implication is still there, if you think that it was just by happenstance that Sharon Stone smoking while she did the famous leg-cross seen, you're crazy. In fact, its my opinion that the sex/smoking relationship will only get stronger as it becomes less accepted for women-or men-to smoke for all of the other reasons given for the habit: peer pressure, stress relief, etc.
Anyway, thats my take on it, in the meantime, I'll just enjoy the exploitation of beautiful women smoking in the popular culture. I bet I'm not the only one.
