And what I meant by martyrdom being different than beatification (or whatever it might be called in The Church) was that a martyr merely has to die for the Faith, whereas being a Saint because of your works and miracles is a little bit different (and thus, martyrs could easily have been smokers, especially with the millions killed in Russia, etc.)
I'm thoroughly convinced....
As for smoking, I used to occasionally smoke a cigar or pipe. Maybe three to six times a year. I don't think it damaged my body and I never did it on a regular basis and didn't get addicted. Now that I have a son, I never smoke because I don't want him to think it's okay and get addicted.
I do think that, when done in moderation, it can be a pleasure akin to coffee. One once a week may be too much unless you stop for fasting. I feel the same way about uisce beatha or aqua vitae or whatever you like to call it. In moderation it's a festive gift.
Smoking
Tsar-martyr Nikolai also smoked. I think most people did in those days because no one realised that it was dangerous. I mean it is not so long ago that cigarette ads had doctors plugging them saying they are great for your heart/lungs etc....We know better these days.
I used to smoke, but stopped soon after I began going to Church - I think it was a whole period when I was reassessing what is important in life, and smoking was one of the first things I ditched. I was quite a heavy smoker, and yet with God's help I was able to give up just like that - practically no withdrawl symptoms or anything. I lapsed three days after giving up and had half a cigarette, and felt so guilty, I stubbed it out then and there, and have had no desire to smoke since.
Smoking is a sin, and it damages you whole body which is supposed to be a temple of God, but I think the short term effects of alcohol dependancy may be worse, or rather more obvious as smoking takes much longer to bear it's poisoned fruit.
