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.

• Legal Services Marketing

• Marketing And Advertising Internet Marketing T

• Block Call Telemarketer

• Zerhs Markets

• Marketing Majors

  Major and Requirements The Marketing curriculum provides flexibility for students seeking careers in the field of marketing. The courses deal with behavioral concepts ...