Yes, that line is somewhat confusing, but you got it estelle. But, usually, when a boy smokes say for the first time, they inhale and they get tears in their eyes from the smoke, etc. This could mean that men (people in general, too) smoke to relieve stress, but the smoke might remind men of when they were "allowed" to cry as a boy with the familiar taste and smell. The abusive husband was probably taught that he needed to be really "masculine" and he tries to enforce his masculinity by abusing his wife.
Yes, that line is somewhat confusing, but you got it estelle. But, usually, when a boy smokes say for the first time, they inhale and they get tears in their eyes from the smoke, etc. This could mean that men (people in general, too) smoke to relieve stress, but the smoke might remind men of when they were "allowed" to cry as a boy with the familiar taste and smell. The abusive husband was probably taught that he needed to be really "masculine" and he tries to enforce his masculinity by abusing his wife.