A source says, "J.Lo loves cigars, they help her unwind. But she's been puffing a lot more since her split from Ben."

                                             

Life changes! The picture of J.Lo clenching a cigar between her teeth as she signs an autograph for a fan, is a pre-pregnancy shot.

A few years ago when rumors exploded that J.Lo enjoyed a cigar socially - the news hit the presses and she received some not so favorable reviews about her cigar smoking habit.

Back in 2005, from one of her fan websites, a comment about her cigar smoking:

"OMFG Jen, a cigar smoker ?!? Olivia, you’re right, I did a search on google and I found MANY articles posted about her cigar smoking, I f**king can’t believe that she actually does smoke cigars for real, it’s unbelievable ! I’m very sad, I’ve never thought I’d heard that about her, and even though she’s trying to hide that, her nasty little secret is out now, God !"

Rewind...

"J.Lo reportedly picked up the habit during her love affair with bad boy rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs."

I received the photos of J.Lo as Cigar Aficionada, from a reader who expressed an interest in this blog, and  revealed to me the temptation and lure of cigar smoking by women. Her view on J.Lo smoking a cigar: "she looks so in charge and confident"...and "bold, confident, sexy, the perfect combo I think".

It was interesting to see how different eyes reacted to such a high profile woman engaging in what is viewed by some, a controversial act - smoking a cigar by a woman.

Not a complex notion in latin cultures, but in the west, Ms. Lopez smoking a cigar was seen as a disappointment and a blow to her virtue.  The question surrounding her now is - and are u sitting down for this one - "the safety of her unborn child".

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!"

Contrary to a popular belief associated with cigar smoking, women who smoke cigars are not all negligent members of society, and unaware of our health responsibilities. I say that to say this - a woman who smokes a cigar does not surrender any maternal instincts, nor does she thumb her nose at her virtue and instantly forgo her prized self esteem to become the symbol of all that is sexually deviant! I've said it once and I will continue to say it through the life of this blog - Women who smoke cigars do so because they can! Women who smoke cigars do so because of the relaxation and camaraderie of their sisterhood. Women who smoke cigars do so because of the experience felt at the same level of their male comrades.

Cigar smoking is a culture - it is a choice - it is a sophistication, I suppose.

More on celebrities and the Cigar

Open a Holiday Charity CD