In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter there are No Smokers

July 14, 2010 | How Smoking and Smokers are Portrayed

…At least not the good guys!

Films have changed. In the old days, even in children’s films everybody smoked. Good guys smoked, bad guys smoked, the “bad” guy who’s really the hero smoked….and that goes for the women too.

The way the films would indicate a moody, misunderstood charater is to stick a cigarette in his hand.

Want to show a sultry, sexy vamp or temptress? Give her a lit cigarette to wave and suck on seductively.

To show a thoughtful, poignant moment, they’d have the charater pause, look profound and then blow smoke from their mouth.

Same goes to show a sexy “bad” boy who’s dangerous to be around – the faithful fag used to be used again.

Of course the character under the most stress or pressure – the one who’s child had been kidnapped etc – they would be puffing away, smoke after smoke after smoke.

Not forgetting the rather weak, nervous character, who couldn’t take any kind of news or events or even go 5min without reaching for the cigarettes.

It never seemed to be classed as lazy use of the film maker’s talents to blatently use the good ol’ cigarette in all these cases.

All those subconscious messages film after film, encouraging, supporting and perpetuating smoking as the desired “norm”.

It’s very refreshing that all that has been changed.

Now in the Harry Potter films as well as most other films for children and adults, smoking is no longer portrayed as the thing that is “cool” to do.

The Harry Potter characters may have many weird and wonderful foibles and characteristics,often displayed with a multitude of creativity that does the Harry Potter films credit.

Thankfully, smoking is not among them.

Still I suppose with a wand in one hand, the words of a spell on their lips and a fag in the other hand……. just wouldn’t be magical at all!