I found something in the last few years about the use of a cigarette as a prop. The Vertigo comics character John Constantine is a heavy smoker. Part of his cha

I found something in the last few years about the use of a cigarette as a prop. The Vertigo comics character John Constantine is a heavy smoker. Part of his character; he even comes close to dying of lung cancer at one point, and weasels out of it via a deal with some devils. They made a Constantine TV series in 2014, canceled after half a season, and then the same actor reprised the character on the CW's Arrowverse serieses, most notably on Legends of Tomorrow. In all those appearances, Constantine is shown holding cigarettes, getting them out of a pack, gesturing with them, fussing with and lighting his lighter... but never actually lighting a cigarette or smoking. It's done so smoothly that you probably won't notice unless someone mentions it to you.