The resurgence of smoking imagery in popular culture, particularly among celebrities, poses a significant challenge for tobacco control.1 While traditional media advertising is strictly regulated across many jurisdictions, tobacco depictions and imagery on social media often escape regulatory oversight even when they promote tobacco use. This regulatory loophole has enabled the rise of ‘cigfluencers’—celebrities and influencers who share smoking imagery on social media.

Particularly concerning are dedicated curation accounts like Instagram’s @cigfluencers, which has over 64 600 followers and 427 posts as of writing in December 2024. Their bio ‘@cigfluencers, aka, HOT PEOPLE keeping the art of SMOKING & BEING COOL alive…’ openly glorifies smoking. The account selectively compiles and amplifies both contemporary (figure 1a,b,c) and archival imagery (figure 1d) of cigfluencers, framing smoking as rebellious, glamorous and culturally nostalgic.2 This reflects a continuation of long-established tobacco industry marketing strategies that have historically used third-party endorsements and leveraged sex appeal and social status to promote cigarettes to young people.1 3 @cigfluencer has also consistently positioned itself against vaping (figure 1e), which may also reflect efforts to shape public perception to benefit tobacco industry interests.4 This pattern mirrors broader industry strategies observed in markets like Japan, where tobacco companies have successfully advocated for heated tobacco …