For more than a century, the cigarette has exercised its seductive power over human beings. Its allure lies in its mutability; in its power to become whatever people want it to be. To the low in spirits, it is a pick-me-up, yet it calms down the harassed. To the lonely, it is a companion, yet it is also convivial between friends. It is a reward when things go well, yet a consolation when things go badly. It is a crutch for the nervous, yet it is flaunted by the bold.

At its most mundane, the smoking of a cigarette may merely satisfy a craving, relieve the boredom or punctuate the passing of the day. But, at least until recently, it was often much more. In the movies, it was portrayed as glamorous, sexy and cool. For artists and intellectuals, it was an aid to creativity and thought. For the man facing the firing squad, it was his solace at the moment of death.