The Evolution of Smoking

New studies have just surfaced stating that anywhere from one-fifth to one-third of adults who say they are smokers don’t wind up smoking everyday. The clever nickname for this breed of smokers is “social smokers”, meaning people who only smoke at parties, barbeques, outside bars and restaurants, and in other social situations.

In the United States, the overall number of smokers is dropping, but the appearance of occasional or social smokers is on the rise.

“Its not that I like smoking its what comes with it,” said Maxwell Stroud, a 20-year-old from Hicksville, NY. “I feel that I can socialize better in different situations if I’m outside smoking with people.”

There is no real explanation for why this trend exists, or why it is growing so rapidly. Some say that the pushed awareness of health risks and the altogether taboo that surrounds smoking in general is causing those who used to be categorized as “heavy smokers” to cut back.

Other theories state that “social smokers” are people in denial about their low-level addiction, or they are on the brink of a nicotine addiction.

To go along with the latter theory, a recent study of college students showed that 60 percent of students denied that they were smokers, but they did happen to identify themselves as “social smokers”.

“I socially smoke because I can quench my craving without actually being addicted,” said Lauren Devine, a 24-year-old from Oakdale, NY. “I don’t want cigarettes throughout the day but as soon as I start drinking I want to smoke. That’s probably more of a Pavlovian response type deal, but there you have it.”

Although they are not addicted to nicotine, “social smokers” are addicted to the physical act of smoking and the sensation of it. They enjoy the nicotine high the cigarette provides, but they aren’t smoking to take care of any withdrawal.

The tobacco industry has hired many specialists to find out what makes a "social smoker" in order to help advertise to them directly and effectively. The goal of the tobacco makers is to show that cigarettes are a necessary staple of social interactions, bolstering a social gathering.

The bottom line is, even if one only smokes once or twice a day, it is still detrimental to one's health. One is still inhaling over 4,000 chemicals, with 43 of them being known carcinogens, including nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, arsenic and DDT, just to name a few.

“I just enjoy feeling the nicotine kick once in a while,” said Chris Allsopp, a 22-year-old from East Setauket, NY. “I don’t smoke on the regular, but if I’m out with people, or at a bar, or even stressed, I just reach for a cigarette. I don’t have a need for cigarettes though. There’s no withdrawal there, so I don't see this really being that harmful to my body. It’s really just an every once in a while kind of thing.”