One wonders if that advert would work in 2026, when cigarettes are suddenly cool once more. E-cigarettes and other alternatives were already unexpectedly popular among high schoolers and young adults, and now smoking has made the comeback of the century among that demographic. Films and TV shows cut back on portraying smoking as a symbol of heroic coolness. So, forgive me for sounding like your mother, but smoking is f*cking gross and we need to make it embarrassing again. There’s a distinct smarm around this attitude, and by extension the smoking revival, that reeks of insincerity and, frankly, trying way too hard.