I actually took up the habit in a psychiatric unit in New Zealand, I was very manic and thought (wrongly) everyone was smoking the peace pipe, patients warned me about the addiction risk but staff did nothing. I'd say a lot of people could sue the govt for getting them hooked.

I think the real psychological reason the most agressive ant-smoking campainers are in it is because it's no longer legal to bully on the basis of race, sex etc. For people who are always thinking with the primative, reptile part of their brain someone always has to be bottom of the dominance heirachy.

Anyway I smoked for 15 years and finally quit when breathing and activity became difficult. Am very glad I got out alive.

In my case the militant campaigns against smoking turned me into a militant entrenched smoker, rather like an interaction with the KKK might make an African-American racist, it probably delayed me quiting by years.

Good luck