In the 70s you had The Texas Chainsaw Massacre which evolved into Cannibal Holocaust and filmmaking kept moving further and further into the world of extreme violence within horror culminating with films like Saw,Hostel and the French New Extreme movement to encapsulate this feeling that horror was Essentially, it's a mash up of The Ninth Gate and In the Mouth of Madness but with a rare film instead of a rare book (actually it's a bit like 8mm)
Smokers odor is not only a nuisance but can also be a health concern, particularly for individuals with respiratory issues or sensitivities
In effect, assuming North Carolina to be the primary source is a simplifying assumption but as we have argued above, it is a reasonable assumption that should not be far from the truth
And up until recently, its worked with smokes
Much like baking soda, you can also place bowls of coffee grounds in rooms that are most affected
Perhaps back in the day before the dangers of smoking were as well-known it was more common for fighters and athletes to be smokers