Smoking etiquette

[Steven Christian]

And also in 1912, Thier husbands wouldn't promit them to do so, to smoke in public or in front of the husbands.

My mum were born in 1948, mum was smoking when she was 14. Her mum never smoked but my father's mum did smoke, she was born 1924. So I do agree with you that women's smoking became popular in late 20's and 30's. We all know by 1940s everyone was smoking.

Seems in the time of Titanic women could get arrested for smoking in public.

 

[Aly Jones]

Wow, never knew this. it also says women were allowed to smoke in public. Maybe the copper and men didn't like seeing women smoke. Anyways I'm a non smoker, it's a terrible, smelly, unhealthy habit.

 

[Bibliophile]

Smoking jackets were worn by wealthy men to protect their dress suits and tuxedos from the smell of tobacco. One passenger on the Titanic, Victor Peñasco owned a silk smoking jacket with gold facings which has survived because he left it at home. His esmoquin was as much a fashion item as his regular tuxedo.

 

[Zhang Beichen]

I'm sure the B deck Reception Room and Cafe Parisien were also 'smoking-friendly ' areas.

I wonder why...

 

[Dave Gittins]

In 1909 women's smoking was so frowned upon that Wolf-Ferrari was able to write a little opera about it. It's called Il Segretro di Susanna (Susanna's Secret). It's hard to stage these days, because Susanna's secret is that she smokes and the opera ends with Susanna and her husband happily smoking together.

 

[Richard C Elliott]

In 1909 women's smoking was so frowned upon that Wolf-Ferrari was able to write a little opera about it.

Yes it is true to say that it was still frowned upon in certain sections of polite society but things were rapidly changing.

I'm sure the B deck Reception Room and Cafe Parisien were also 'smoking-friendly ' areas.

I wonder why...

I think the answer is that a substantial proportion of men smoked and those that didn't had no strong objections to doing so. In the male-dominated society of the time it would therefore be normal for smoking to be permitted in any communal area unless specifically prohibited - exactly the opposite of the situation nowadays. Note that on the Titanic there were notices requesting passengers not to smoke in the corridors but not prohibiting them from doing so.

I did some work on the history of smoking in the UK during my career as an epidemiologist so I think I can offer a little bit of background information here.

Smoking was not considered a major health hazard until the work of Sir Richard Doll in the early 1950s, conclusively demonstrating the association of smoking and lung cancer. (Various health risks of smoking had been suggested since the 1920s but were not taken seriously.) Until that time smoking was increasing among all elements of society. The biggest increases occured during the two World Wars but, even after WWII, the trend was constantly upward and it didn't reverse for over a decade after Doll's work. In 1962 about 70% of British men and 40% of women were smokers. (That was about the peak and rates have constantly declined since.)

 

[Seumas]

Yes it is true to say that it was still frowned upon in certain sections of polite society but things were rapidly changing.


I think the answer is that a substantial proportion of men smoked and those that didn't had no strong objections to doing so. In the male-dominated society of the time it would therefore be normal for smoking to be permitted in any communal area unless specifically prohibited - exactly the opposite of the situation nowadays. Note that on the Titanic there were notices requesting passengers not to smoke in the corridors but not prohibiting them from doing so.

I did some work on the history of smoking in the UK during my career as an epidemiologist so I think I can offer a little bit of background information here.

Smoking was not considered a major health hazard until the work of Sir Richard Doll in the early 1950s, conclusively demonstrating the association of smoking and lung cancer. (Various health risks of smoking had been suggested since the 1920s but were not taken seriously.) Until that time smoking was increasing among all elements of society. The biggest increases occured during the two World Wars but, even after WWII, the trend was constantly upward and it didn't reverse for over a decade after Doll's work. In 1962 about 70% of British men and 40% of women were smokers. (That was about the peak and rates have constantly declined since.)

That last statistic is horrific.

As a keen amateur genealogist, I've sadly lost of count of how many relatives my Mum and Dad have told me wonderful stories about "who would have lived long enough to meet you had they never smoked".

My late Gran once told me about a childhood stay in hospital (this was during the forties and pre-NHS) she had where the doctor did the rounds of the children's ward wearing a pinstripe suit and smoking a large pipe !

 

[Richard C Elliott]

My late Gran once told me about a childhood stay in hospital (this was during the forties and pre-NHS) she had where the doctor did the rounds of the children's ward wearing a pinstripe suit and smoking a large pipe !

Yes, even doctors commonly smoked. In fact Richard Doll's major lung cancer study was done using doctors. He compared the lung cancer incidence in smoking versus non-smoking general practitioners. It wasn't that he was particularly interested in doctors, simply that he had easier access to data on them than on the general population.

 

[Arun Vajpey]

But the cardiovascular risk of smoking is even greater and has contributed to more morbidity and mortality than lung cancer, although not many realized that.

 

[Richard C Elliott]

But the cardiovascular risk of smoking is even greater and has contributed to more morbidity and mortality than lung cancer

Very true. Indeed lung cancer represents only a small proportion of the total excess morbidity and mortality, but the lung cancer association was the first to be confirmed beyond reasonable doubt and set the ball rolling for numerous further studies.

 

[Steven Christian]

If you grew up in the 50's thru early 70's you remember these adds. Even Fred Flintstone was advertising Winston's during Saturday morning cartoons. Ad's for hard liquor too before they got banned. Advertising is a huge business. Convince people to spend money they don't have on things they don't need.

 

[Steven Christian]

But the cardiovascular risk of smoking is even greater and has contributed to more morbidity and mortality than lung cancer, although not many realized that.

Yes. Heart disease is the number one killer. In America there are many factors that contribute to it. Bad eating habits being a major one. But for all our bad habits people generally live longer today than during the time of Titanic. My theory is because unlike then, today we have antibiotics and antiviral drugs that they could only dream about.

 

[Dave Gittins]

Camel! The only cigarette with a picture of the factory on the packet!