Stage Cigarettes without talc

[johnnayb]

We have used cheap "puff" cigarettes for a number of years in our theater with reasonable effect--cheap, looks pretty good. But have come across some serious concerns about talc powder. Seems most of puff cigarettes are either filled with "proprietary dust" or talc. Flameless suggestions? Thanks

 

[seanandkate]

Have you looked into e-cigarettes?

 

[rsmentele]

Dont use talc... use Corn Starch. Same effect

 

[johnnayb]

Corn starch sounds great.....any ideas/ instruction on construction?--Thanks!!!

This is a high school theater program so e-cigs run against campus policy....Thanks for the thought though!

 

[Van]

Finely ground Rye flour is the most Hypo-allergenic/safest per Equity rules powder-like substance available, you may want to incorporate that into the idea of a 'puff cigarette'.

That being said I did find this link http://actorcigarette.squarespace.com/ Which makes mention of the fact that it was part of the Equity study. I'm not sure if it would be classified as an electronic cigarette by the school district, it does not require inhalation but it does require drawing the 'smoke' into the mouth.

I'm not endorsing this product or condemning it I just happened to run across the link. it website says it was part of the Equity study, it does NOT say it was endorsed by Equity.

 

[bobgaggle]

Here's where broad stroke regulation is retarded. You can't smoke in schools, perfectly reasonable given the health risks/legality. You can't use e cigs in schools, harder to justify this ban (but who knows whats in the juice, could just be flavored vaporized glycerin, could have nicotine in it. No way for admin to know). BUT, its perfectly acceptable to have kids on stage do everything associated with smoking, ie cigarette looking thing, lighter, puff puff puff. As long as its not ACTUALLY a cigarette. Its still a kid with a cigarette in his mouth on a high school stage. Either allow the effect to look real (e cig) or don't allow anything like smoking on stage. We have this awesome new technology that allows us to have realistic smoke effects, yet we refuse to allow their use because....why again? it's too real? might promote smoking?

 

[Malabaristo]

This is a high school theater program so e-cigs run against campus policy....Thanks for the thought though!

Presumably weapons are banned on campus as well, but you could create an appropriate policy/procedure that would allow you to use prop weapons onstage, right? Why not go through the same process for a prop cigarette? It never hurts to ask...

On the other hand, I would also tend to look at each show and see whether the smoking is really a necessary component in the story. If not, then just cut it. There are lots of other ways to set the scene.

 

[johnnayb]

Got approval for the "actor prop" e cig! Awesome effect!!! Thanks for the help!!!!!

 

[Leo Mauler]

This is a high school theater program so e-cigs run against campus policy....Thanks for the thought though!

Examine that policy closely. E-cig bans generally relate to most vaping fluids containing nicotine (sometimes the ones which say they have 0% nicotine are lying). If you are allowed to have actors handling cigarettes onstage, then the policy is probably about the nicotine content, not the actual e-cigs or the fact that they look like cigarettes.

 

[josh88]

Examine that policy closely. E-cig bans generally relate to most vaping fluids containing nicotine (sometimes the ones which say they have 0% nicotine are lying). If you are allowed to have actors handling cigarettes onstage, then the policy is probably about the nicotine content, not the actual e-cigs or the fact that they look like cigarettes.

My experience is that those policies in the schools I've been a part of don't mention the fluid at all and outright ban the whole thing just like smoking on campus. An outright no on all of it is pretty much par for the course with high schools and more and more college campuses are following suite.