[CoolBee]

I'm wondering if the OP is wanting to give up and trying to identify all the positive reasons for staying a smoker so he knows what other things he will be giving up along with the cigs? Maybe not, maybe he really wants to start which along with everyone else I wouldn't recommend.

Anyway, here's the biggest positive reason for smoking that I can come up with (I don't by the way, probably had 20 cigs in over 50 years and I can't inhale as it sends me into an asthma attack!):

The 'doorstep smokers' network in a large organization is the single most powerful network in the company. It spans the entire hierarchy from postroom clerk to CEO (or board members if the CEO is a non-smoker) and many important decisions are made on that doorstep. If you don't smoke and never join the smokers, you have NO idea! (I used to sometimes!)

To those who live in a country where it's allowed to smoke in a building - in the UK, if you are a smoker, then you generally find yourself on the doorstep or carpark outside the building having a crafty one several times a day thereby increasing your annual leave by around 5 weeks per annum... I'm not going to rant now, no really....

Other positive reasons:

it gives you a bit of a mental breathing space, an excuse to take a short time out if you are feeling under pressure

here in the middle East/north Africa, it's a male social bonding thing - something like 95% of males smoke, many since they were boys - whiling away a few hours in the shisha cafe is the equivalent of having a few pints in a British pub

it kills a few minutes if you are deeply bored

it can give you some emotional cover if you don't know how to make conversation - same way as people these days in breaks at conferences hit the mobile phones - to cover social shyness and feeling unable to start or participate in conversations with strangers.

Anyway, I could go on, but I can't personally see any PHYSICAL benefits to smoking, but there are some social benefits.