Following ‘Brat Summer’ and other celebrity comments, there are worries that pop culture is glamorising and romanticising smoking among young people.

Charli XCX’s popular album was a fashion and lifestyle inspiration for young people this past summer, with the singer saying part of being a 'brat' included having a “pack of cigs and a Bic lighter”.

Apart from this, Paul Mescal recently revealed he refused to give up smoking for his role on Gladiator II.

Newstalk reporter Bella Finn told Lunchtime Live that while celebrities are not obligated to be good role models, smoking imagery is still influential.

“I'd like to think that we've moved past smoking being cool,” she said.

“So, it doesn't help when we have one of our own biggest actors [Mescal] looking well and fit sitting on Graham Norton's couch saying he likes to smoke.

“Celebrities are not obliged to be role models for young people, and we should have our own critical thinking – but I accept that we are in the age of the influencer, and the imagery is rising in TV and films.”

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.

Entertainment journalist Serena Bellissimo said most of the smoking she sees in film and TV is in ‘period pieces’.

“In modern day stories I don't see them being used now,” she said.

“Although, there was an interesting study done with Stranger Things season two, where they saw that there were 262 scenes that featured smoking – but then I like to argue that that is also a period piece.”

Role models

Serena also said that parents should also take some responsibility for their children’s habits.

“It is up to parents,” she said.

“I think we're so used to blaming influences and stars and making them role models.

“As a parent, you should be turning to your kid and saying no, they're not there to be your role model – they are there to entertain you.”

Smoking ban

Bella said that it isn’t as simple as placing all the blame on pop culture influences.

“Can we blame more smoking on screen for rising smoking numbers? I don't think it's that straightforward,” she said.

“We're 20 years on from the smoking ban here – and the later part of my generation, and I'm going to include myself in this – we remember when that came in.

“We've grown up with this change and this adjustment, but for those younger, they haven't.

“This is where the accessibility of vapes could probably be driving that number up.”

Currently, 18% of the population aged 15 and over are smokers in Ireland.

A Eurobarometer report from 2024 showing that children in Ireland start smoking at a younger age than the European average.

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