All I had heard about was scenes such as Cigar smoking were to be cut from old cartoons like Tom & Jerry because they were inappropriate in a modern context for pre-school children.
I have heard or seen nothing about 18 certifications for smoking, or in fact, this news story affecting any other productions, shows or films.
OP, who is 'they', and please provide credible sources if you actually want to be believed.
(Basically, this is a troll)