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As a former smoker, I won't deny that smoking on film has SOME degree of influence on viewers, but it can also be effective to show the dangers of smoking as well as the delights (and smoking is a small pleasure....just a deadly and increasingly expensive one, both of which are why I quit).
For certain period films, it's almost a must, especially if the film features a real-life person who was known to smoke (lightly or heavily, it makes no difference) like Edward R. Murrow. However, it's not always necessary. I think it's better if writers, directors, and actors at least THINK about it before committing it to film; if it makes sense for a character (any character) to smoke, then I don't have any problem with it. But just throwing in a pack of cigarettes for "atmosphere" (and no other reason), particularly into a film set in the present day, is kinda pointless. I usually take these things on a case-by-case basis.
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