Everybody is surprised to find out that I smoke. I don't hide, but I sure don't advertise that I do it either. Mainly I get tired of the health lectures I get being a physician. Yes, I do know smoking is bad for your health.....
Nobody ever - not once- has mentioned a positive side of smoking. People with terminal anxiety taking pain pills and benzodiazepines, obese people eating away their stress, alcoholics, various abdominal conditions manifesting from psych stress all sanctimoniously tell me I need to quit immediately and I should know better as a physician. (I get the helmet lectures almost daily as well)
All the neighbors, patients, friends, and even strangers all feel it is perfectly fine to comment and admonish me about something they know very little about. I find that strange, as so many other topics are pure taboo. It leads me to use discretion with smoking, just so I don't have to hear another lecture and be judged in this small community.