'Not Illegal!': Malia Obama Defended by Fans as New Pics Sparked Controversy over Her Smoking

• Malia Obama was defended by social media users when she was spotted having a cigarette.
• The former first daughter's father quit smoking because of her, while Michelle Obama believed in healthy living and didn't seem to approve of cigarettes.

On September 29, 2023, former President Barack Obama's older daughter, Malia, was photographed in Los Angeles. At the time, the 25-year-old was seen having a cigarette smoke break in a convenience store parking lot next to a car and was joined by a friend.

The former first daughter's sighting came a few weeks after her younger sister, Sasha, was seen doing the same thing. On September 4, 2023, the 22-year-old lit one up with friends during a Los Angeles Labor Day party.

The University of Southern California graduate also smoked publicly at what looked like a parking lot and was accompanied by friends. During her break, Malia wore a button-up blue sweater with a design detail on the front and gray wide-legged dress pants.

The screenwriter completed her look with black lug-sole boots and a matching handbag. According to reports, Malia has been smoking for years, and days later, Page Six shared an Instagram image of her recent sighting.

The publication noted how "old habits die hard." While smoking cigarettes is generally an unappealing habit that isn't good for one's health, social media users jumped onto Page Six's post to defend Malia, with one person stating:

"So it['s] not illegal!!!! And it's her business!!!"

Someone else who came to her defense mentioned how Barack's daughter is 25 and allowed to live her life. The person challenged other Instagram users to reflect on what they did at that age, noting how lucky they were that social media wasn't a thing then, as people's photos would be "blasted all over."

The reader felt Malia and her sister deserve lives where they weren't "lambasted for being human." They felt the older Obama child was young and would figure things out, while someone urged people to leave her to smoke in peace.

A Page Six Instagram page user shared their gratitude for being in their 20s before social media. Another social media user thought "99% of people" thought it was okay for the Obama sisters to do everyday things young people did without becoming a headline, especially since they spent eight years living under a microscope.

The then-first lady thought the program would allow families to make small changes that make a difference in their homes.

Someone else noted how if social media had been around during their college years, the crazy things that came out would've been embarrassing! However, smoking seemed contradictory to Malia and Sasha's parents' beliefs.

What Did Barack Do for Malia's Benefit, and What Is Michelle's Outlook on Health?

In his 2020 memoir, "A Promised Land," Barack revealed how Malia was always disappointed when she "smelled" tobacco from cigarettes "on his breath." Her reaction to his habit made him finally quit cigarettes for good.

However, in 2013, the then-president was allegedly overheard speaking to a United Nations official, saying he hadn't smoked a cigarette in six years because he was "scared" of his wife, Michelle. That same year, Michelle showed how much she valued healthy living by promoting her national Let's Move! Campaign.

The then-first lady thought the program would allow families to make small changes that make a difference in their homes. Michelle had joined with Partnership for a Healthier America to launch Drink Up, a campaign that hoped to encourage people to drink more water.

Michelle believed everyone had to play their part so that healthy eating and being active could become a routine part of people's lives. In 2017, Malia's mother again promoted physical and mental health.

The ten ways Michelle enabled ordinary people to achieve this feat were listed this time. For instance, the former first lady brought the childhood obesity epidemic to the forefront, increased access to healthier foods, and redesigned school lunch programs.