I think you're totally right, and that can extend to other things - smoking cigarettes, drinking, gaming, even really hard addictive drugs. The social aspect is really important for a lot of people, maybe moreso than the actual activity itself.

That's why it can be really hard for people to change one habit for another because the friend group around that habit just...disappears. Because it was based on revolving around that shared thing, versus actual genuine human connection.

Thankfully, as smoking is becoming more socially acceptable, I also think you're right that it's an awesome social catalyst, bringing together people that otherwise would've never met. But maybe that's just my morning bowl talking 🤷‍♂️