How Do Cigarettes Symbolize In A Short Story

Smoking and cigarettes symbolize escape throughout the short story according to the characters McCann and Morrison's situations. In the story before Morrison was on his way to the treatment program he smoked a cigarette. In the story it says, "before going up the elevator, he smoked a cigarette down to the filter". The cigarette symbolizes escape. Despite the fact that he doesn't think cigarettes taste good, like he mentioned "it tasted horrible" right after he smoked on his way up the elevator.
Throughout the story Stephen King uses forshadowing when Morisson seems to be interested in the Quitters Inc. program and begins to make McCann a series of questions. McCann was being vague and not answering any of the questions be ause of a contract