I think it's more that a generation of people grew up with lead paint and that decreased the average IQ so much that you have people suggesting that lead smoke is harmless.
Since when lead emits smoke? You'd have to heat it beyond it's boiling point that is 1750C,while the typical lead casting is done at around 450C.even if you managed to vaporise minute amounts of lead it's going to condense and fall out long before it reaches "your neighbour's house".
I wonder, does everyone that scared of lead own smartphones? (with cadmium in their batteries). Cadmium is very toxic and it boils at under 800C so your average wood flame will vaporise it. But everyone talks about lead.
Why? IMO because lead used to be added to petrol/gas as an anti knock agent. So there was quite a bit of contamination present back in the day. This has been outlawed decades ago, but the collective memory remains.
So don't blow lead smoke over your neighbors house.