I used to smoke, and I loved it! I started aged 24 (I know, old enough to know better), because I moved to a new job and went out with the girls who worked there, and, after cadging ciggies off them when I was drinking, I thought I'd better start buying my own. It also coincided with me becoming single again after a 7 year relationship, and trying to lose weight. It was the new, bold me, and I didn't give two hoots about the health risks. I lost 2 stone, went to the gym every night, felt and looked fab- I ran a half-marathon, so my lungs couldn't be that bad, could they?
I stopped for two reasons: mainly because we were thinking of having kids at some point in the not so distant future, but also because I got so hacked off with a government that lectured about smoking and the cost of smaokers to the NHS etc etc then hiked up the tax on tobacco to ridiculous levels "for our own good". If everyone who smokes stopped right now, the loss in revenue to the Government would be huge. I felt I was being made a mug of, so stopped to spite them!
Problem is, I found it really easy to stop- I just stopped and never looked back. So I have no incentive not to start again, or to smoke on occasion, as I know I can just stop without too much angst. So i do sometimes have a cigarette on occasion, and I enjoy it.
To those who wonder how you can live with yourself while killing yourself (interesting concept!) I would suggest that smoking is just one aspect of someone's lifestyle- someone who is grossly obese, grossly unfit or has a dreadful diet or is a careless driver might have worse odds than many smokers.