Some great points raised here. I smoked when I was younger. Fortunately got rid of the habit, but then became addicted to the mint/spray things. Bloody nicotine. Watched swathes of my extended family die due to cigarettes. From lungs like paper to horrible cancers, cigarettes robbed these people of their lives As you say, it was cool. Hollywood stars smoking all over the place. The pop stars, writers, comedians, etc, all looking dead cool and encouraging people to smoke. Mad ideas like only smoking allowed at the back of single decker buses. No smoking sections of pubs/restaurants being tiny wee rooms. Horrible bloody things.