The global drive to reduce smoking rates appears to be working. A survey by Yahoo of over 1,000 Yahoo users found that campaign appears to be effective particularly among young people.

About 61 per cent of the respondents aged 18 to 34 said they had never smoked.

The changed attitude toward lighting up, partly boosted by graphic warnings on cigarette pack, is evident in smoking being seen as a very uncool activity by 57 per cent of men and 71 per cent of women.

Because of aversion toward the habit, 58 per cent of females and 49 per cent of males said they would not date a smoker, while 32 per cent of women who smoke said they would never light up whenever their loved one is around.

However, 41 per cent of the young respondents said they engage in social smoking, which often happens whenever they are with a social crowd or when they have a drink. Lighting up enhances the drinking experience, the respondents said.

"Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance, making addiction the number one reason why people smoke. Smoking can also be a social habit. When others around you are smoking, you may feel like you should be doing the same. The feeling is known as peer pressure. Most people have a natural tendency to conform, which is an additional reason why people may decide to begin smoking," explained Shirley Beasley-Posey, a wellness educator with the U.S. Marine Corps Community Services.

Many of the younger people in the Yahoo survey said they are only into social smoking because they are aware of the health risks from the vice. A secondary consideration for them is the cost of cigarette and the third is the strong smell of cigarette.

The U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States alone there are 45.3 million smokers, while 443,000 die yearly from ailments linked with the vice such as cancer.

To help people lick the habit, Ms Beasley-Posey helps conduct weekly smoking cessation classes at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan.

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