Documentary warning children about the drawbacks of cigarettes - not least their addictiveness.

Hacking coughs punctuate the soundtrack throughout, making the film's propaganda purpose clear from the start. We follow a group of children trying to find out why the various adults in their lives smoke, and what the attractions are considering what to them are obvious drawbacks. Indiscriminate smoking 'looks funny to us now', says the narrator, but The Smoking Machine's own footage of people casually smoking in cinemas, cafés and on public transport must seem equally bizarre to today's kids.

Five children, their curiosity provoked by their friend, Jim, a teenage
cigarette chain-smoker, set out to discover why people smoke. They observe
various addicts, and find an extraordinary contraption which smokes cigarettes
automatically. The children chase and finally corner Jim, who, in revealing his
secret, provides the young detectives with the final clue. Intended primarily
for children aged 9-12.

Investigation for pre-teenagers, into the reasons why young people take up
smoking.