Smoking is closely linked with the history and custom of many countries. Smoking is a significant aspect of culture and not purely a habit or practice that is personal in nature. It is influenced by culture and became an important facet in the lives of many. Smoking is very well accepted in music, movies, and literature as a cultural attribute. It has been recognized into culture in various art forms. Smoking culture has more close associations of the quicker pace of the industrialized world and modernity.

Around 9th century,  Mayan pottery depicted the earliest smoking art. Many early paintings depicted rulers or deities smoking early forms of cigarettes. The painting of still lives of tobacco, pipes and portraits of people smoking was first painted during Dutch Golden Age.

The pipe smoking became common in the 19th century as a symbol of simple pleasures. In the late 19th century, the symbolism of the cigar, pipe and cigarette were strengthened. Cigar was a symbol of power, wealth and authority; pipe was a sign for calm and thoughtfulness and cigarette symbolized youth and modernity.

Smoking was a major part of movies since the era of silent films. In thriller and crime related movies, smoking cigarette frequently frames characters depicting a sensation of mystique. Movies have significantly imparted a sense of romance and glamour in many cultures. Movies primarily raised the smoking culture by portraying super heroes attaining the impossible with a cigarette in their hands.

Smoking holds a vital place in literature and smokers are depicted as characters with outright eccentrics or great individuality. Sherlock Holmes was personified as one of the most iconic smoking figures in many novels. In many novels and short stories, smoking has generated endless acclamation, appreciating its qualities and confirming the author’s identity as a devoted smoker. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, many books with the titles like: - Pipe and Pouch: The Smokers Own Book of Poetry, Cigarettes in fact and fancy and Tobacco: Its history and associations were published in the United States and United Kingdom. Early 20th century has marked a close association of smoking with popular music.

Smoking is prevalent and well- known among the younger generation of many countries. Young generation feels that smoking cigarettes bestows their life certain importance and are a rich source of recreation in times of dilemma. Tobacco smoking has been assimilated in many cultures of different countries, gaining popularity globally. New and innovative ways were discovered to produce tobacco as it gained worldwide fame.  Cigarettes are currently enjoying a close relation between modern man and fashionable world due to its easy accessibility. Cigarette promotion campaigns mainly targets adolescents who need to be protected from it. Culture of many countries has significantly raised the smoking practice with an outcome of more and more people getting addicted to it.

Time is changing, trends are changing and as a result large segment of people are avoiding smoking due to its multiple health hazards.