Cigarettes in the White House and Hollywood
Recent Press on Tobacco Smoking Evokes Reflection on Bygone Era
Dec 9, 2008
Two mainstream news items in December 2008 turned the public eye to cigarette smoking. Departing from the anti-tobacco rhetoric that is common in US news, the habit has received more than just a cursory look as an incoming President and an iconic magazine have again brought attention to the oft-vilified pastime.
With Barack Obama, a self-admitted on and off smoker, entering the White House in January 2009 and a recent initiative by LIFE magazine to publically share twelve decades of archived photos via Google, smoking has found itself on the front page for something other than being a health risk.
In an entry that appeared on The New York Times blog “The Moment” on December 5, 2008, Rosecrans Baldwin waxed on the frequency of cigarettes in the photos. They pop up in the hands of celebrities, political figures, and common citizens alike. The collection reveals that the American passion for nicotine extended well into the Baby Boom generation.
During a Sunday, December 7 “Meet The Press” appearance, President-elect Obama wavered to Tom Brokaw on whether he had absolutely quit his habit but emphasized that he would not be smoking in the White House. According to current regulations, smoking is not allowed inside the White House and has been forbidden since 1993 when then First Lady Hilary Clinton successfully pushed for the ban.
Are Cigarettes Part of a Bygone Era or Nostalgic History?
Smoking and tobacco have long been standards in the mythos of America. While cigarette smoking has sharply declined and been downgraded to a social taboo, some of America’s most enduring personalities unashamedly partook in tobacco products.
Early television and movies are rife with cigarettes on-screen. Would Cary Grant be the same in The Philadelphia Story or Jimmy Stewart in Rope without their ever-present cigarette? The LIFE archives show that off-screen was no exception as stars of the day posed with their smoke in plain view.
Smoking is often painted as a macho pursuit, with nicotine-fueled heroes like John Wayne, James Dean, Keith Richards, and Frank Sinatra.
Only a Few Presidents Have Been Smokers, But Many Were Tobacco Users
Carl Sferrzza Anthony details US presidents’ tobacco preferences in a 1993 Cigar Aficionado article. If Obama maintains his conviction and doesn’t light up in the Oval Office, the distinction as last smoking commander-in-chief will go to Dwight Eisenhower. Although some have enjoyed cigars (Ford used a pipe), Ike was the last president to smoke cigarettes.
Smoking was still a staple at White House social functions until Bill Clinton’s assumption of the executive office. In her first major interview since the 1992 elections, Hilary spelled out her plan to move all smokers outdoors. Her line of thinking was outlined in the February 2, 1993 New York Times piece “Hillary Clinton's New Home: Broccoli's In, Smoking's Out” by Marian Burros.
Is it a Trend in Remission?
It’s unclear whether a sitting president’s tobacco use (or lack thereof) will have any noticeable affect on the United States. Certainly, the habit has been in steep decline since the days of LIFE. A July 2007 Gallup poll showed that about one in five American adults smoked, a figure that has remained consistent for nearly a decade. By contrast, Gallup’s first smoking poll in 1944 showed 41% of Americans surveyed admitted smoking.
Whatever the fate of smoking in American society, it will undoubtedly long bring reminiscences of black and white film stars, macho cowboys, bygone teen idols, and hard-living rockers. Who knows, maybe it will conjure up an image of a US President.
 |
