That's probably not true (nb: I'm a "social smoker" in the sense of, if I'm out drinking, I'll follow friends out for a smoke break; that makes me a "pack a year" smoker) --- the demographics on smoking have changed to the point where it's become useful to study "light" smoking and not just daily addicted smoking. In studies, young smokers smoke much less than older people. Addicted smokers smoke all the time. From this, I conclude that there are, like me, people who smoke non-addictively.

And, as the Surgeon General made clear:

http://www.theonion.com/video/surgeon-general-smoking-fine-a...

My experience is very similar. I probably consume about 1 pack a year or so with friends in social environments. The other things is I do a fair amount of traveling and don't want to be rude or reject someone's hospitality if someone offers me a cigarette while I'm abroad.

As I said above, I'm jealous of people that can manage this :)

I was hopelessly addicted to cigs from ages 18 to 21. I'm talking two packs a day, lighting up before getting out of bed, smoking while eating, etc.

I quit nearly cold turkey (one month ramp down) and didn't touch one for about a decade. A few years ago I went through a "social smoking" phase for a few months where I'd bum a couple while out drinking, or during the day here and there. Maybe totaled like ten cigs a week or so.

There is a huuuuge difference. Social smoking is real.

There must be a rate below which physiological dependence is impossible. I doubt you can be dependent on, say, 2 cigarettes a week.