I can buy a non-canonical smoker who smokes in fanfic as long as the author explains that character change to my satisfaction.

I answered "maybe" to this; however, I rarely require an explanation for smoking in a fic. I suppose as an ex-smoker/occasional social smoker, I don't have stereotypes in place so I never have that knee-jerk feeling of "such-and-such would NEVER smoke, I can't imagine it" because, well, I can.

I'm equal parts pleased and ashamed that I have more than one on topic icon for this post.