Regular vs social smoking: Doctor explains why both can damage your lungs

Diwali parties lined up and worried if you will break your promise to quit smoking? Or, concerned if you’re strong enough to say no to social smoking? Understand the difference before you take the call.

What is social smoking? Often called ‘intermittent or light smoking ’, it mostly occurs in social situations, such as parties or gatherings. While it is not a medically identified term, social smokers often consume fewer than 10 cigarettes a day, and may not identify themselves as dependent smokers. However, they will be expected or understood to be smoke in social situations. The habit of social smoking can persist for years and is common among mature adults, not just youth experimenting, as per a National Library of Medicine report, Social Smoking among Intermittent Smoking (2016).