We don't know who the smoker is from reading the story (at least I don't think we do). If the smoker was close to the camera (smoking blowing directly in front of the lens) and a flash was used it would have created an effect similar to this, even if the writer didn't "notice" the smoke.
I'm unconvinced.
There would have to be no breeze for the effect I'm talking about to occur, so that the smoke hung in the air. THAT is what caused the effect in the pictures I took. Normally they would not come out that way.