Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

Cigarettes seem to be having a cultural comeback. Maybe it’s nostalgia for the ’90s and 2000s, when cigarette use hit its peak among young people. Or maybe it's because vaping has introduced newer generations to nicotine, the addictive compound found in tobacco. Either way, a renewed interest in smoking has surged across social media, TV shows, and influential celebs.

Social smoking—which is when you only smoke occasionally in social settings, such as on a night out with friends—is particularly gaining popularity. Social smokers may only smoke on the weekends, in the evenings, out with friends, or while drinking alcohol. They tend to have larger gaps between smoking days and may be less dependent on nicotine.

However, the once well-known harsh realities of cigarette use seem to have been forgotten. “People aren’t talking about the harms of smoking so much anymore,” Nancy Rigotti, MD, an internal medicine doctor and director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, told Health.

And while occasional smoking might seem like a harmless habit, its effects can add up.

Is There a ‘Safe’ Amount of Cigarettes?

The short answer: No. Cigarettes contain a wide range of ingredients and produce more than 7,000 chemicals when burned, many of which are toxic and have been shown to cause cancer. Even just one cigarette exposes your body to these harmful compounds.

"Every cigarette you smoke does some damage to the lungs and increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. It's estimated that each cigarette smoked results in about 10 minutes of life lost," David Hill, MD, a pulmonary and critical care physician and a member of the American Lung Association’s Board of Directors, told Health. While these effects are less severe than if you smoked daily, you’re still increasing your risk for multiple health conditions.

But the biggest risk with occasional smoking is the potential to become a more regular smoker. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and picking up a social smoking habit can quickly lead to daily use, which comes with more significant health risks. “You’re literally playing with fire,” said Hill.

““Part of the reason cigarette smoking is getting romanticized is that the tobacco industry continues to romanticize cigarette smoking. It’s a marketing technique for a highly addictive product,” says Hill.”

Immediate Effects of Social Smoking

When you light up and inhale a cigarette, you may feel its effects right away. Nicotine is a stimulant and causes a slight adrenaline rush when it hits your brain, leading to increased alertness and mood. In this moment, a few other things are happening in your body:

• Your heart rate increases.
• Your blood pressure rises.
• Your blood vessels constrict, which reduces blood flow and causes your hands and feet to feel cold.
• Your throat and lungs become irritated from smoke inhalation, causing you to cough or feel short of breath.

Some people may also experience lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Nicotine levels peak about 10 seconds after you inhale, and its effects typically last less than an hour. For this reason, many people will smoke multiple cigarettes to maintain the positive feelings. “The real risk is that in the next hour you smoke another cigarette, and then you keep smoking, and that’s when it starts to become a problem,” said Rigotti.

Who Should Be Extra Cautious About Cigarette Use?

While cigarettes can have negative health effects for anyone, certain groups may be at higher risk of experiencing health complications, even with occasional smoking. This includes people who:

• Have lung disease, or a family history of lung disease
• Have heart disease, or a family history of heart disease
• Have obesity
• Have diabetes
• Have a mental health condition
• Are under the age of 25

Long-Term Health Risks of Occasional Smoking

The long-term health risks of smoking cigarettes regularly are well known. Research shows that cigarette smoking can cause health conditions like heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. In the United States, cigarette use is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths each year.

But are the effects the same for occasional smoking? Research shows that while the health risks of light or occasional smoking are less than those of daily smoking, they are still significantly higher than if you never smoked.

A 2019 study found that people who smoked non-daily (around 15 days per month) had a 72% higher mortality risk than people who never smoked. They also lived an average of five years less.

Another 2020 study found that people who smoked occasionally—as low as 6–10 cigarettes per month—had a 82% higher risk of mortality than people who never smoked, compared to a 132% greater risk for people who smoked daily.

Trouble Defining ‘Occasional’ Smoking

About 25% of people who smoke are non-daily or “occasional” smokers. However, how often and how many cigarettes this population smokes is less clear. Some research shows people who smoke non-daily are still consuming an average of 50 cigarettes per month, while other research has shown groups smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per month. There’s also light smoking, which has been classified as fewer than 15, 10, or one cigarette per day, or smoking 1–39 cigarettes per week. This variability has made it difficult to define the true risks associated with light or occasional smoking. However, the general consensus is that quitting smoking altogether is the best choice to make for your health.

Signs Your Social Smoking Has Turned Into an Addiction

It may be difficult to recognize addiction right away, since it’s something that can build with repeated use. Take note of your driving intentions behind wanting a cigarette; is it a conscious choice or an unchecked habit? “Addiction is a compulsive behavior, meaning that you feel like you need to do something, even though you might not want to. It’s a loss of choice,” said Rigotti.

Similar to other addictive drugs, nicotine affects your dopamine levels, which play a part in your brain's motivation-reward system. Over time, continuing to use nicotine can alter this reward system, along with other factors like stress and self-control. This creates a dependence on nicotine, meaning you need it to feel “normal” or at baseline.

Without nicotine, you can experience withdrawal symptoms, such as:

• Nicotine cravings
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Problems with attention or memory
• Difficulty sleeping
• Increased appetite

How To Quit Social Smoking

If you occasionally smoke and want to quit, try cutting it out cold turkey. Depending on how little you smoke, you may not have a dependence. For people who do have a nicotine dependence, nicotine replacement therapies and other medications are available.

You can also complement medical interventions with support groups, counseling, and other programs that help people quit smoking, suggests Hill. Talk to your healthcare provider about which treatments may be best for you.

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Kristina Dawson