If you’ve seen the films the Great Gatsby, Breakfast at Tiffany’s or even Grease, you’ll notice that they all have iconic images of smoking which are portrayed as seductive, trendy or fashionable.
Compare this old history of smoking to the films of today with the likes of Bridget Jones and we can see how over the years our perception of smoking cigarettes has transformed from glamour chic to tragic spinster.
It’s not just films that have portrayed the change in the opinion of smoking. Everywhere we look we are now faced with new facts and statistics that tell us that smoking causes bad teeth, bad skin, bad hair, bad breath, impotency not to mention what it’s doing to your internal organs. The history of smoking does not seem so seductive anymore!
So why is it that the opinion of smoking has changed so drastically over the years?
The facts are that back when no one actually knew the facts, smoking was just a harmless and social thing to do.
Over the years however, with research revealing more and more information on the major health risks, our opinion of smoking has gone from being just ‘harmless’ to being a very harmful killer.
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE SAYING?
But forget the facts for a second, what are the people saying? What do you overhear people saying everyday? Stop – listen – think.
In eighty years smoking has gone from seductive and chic to a known killer – and with two thirds of current smokers saying that they would like to quit, it’s still on the decline!
By Eloise, intern
By ASH Wales