Ex smoker, many times I lit up when I was having a great time with friends

What about the trope of lighting up after sex?

Those hobbits were not smoking tobacco

Post-coitus and post-meal cigarettes are very common and in pretty sure those aren’t being smoked to cope with anxiety.

Isn't the after sex cigarette kind of a trope?

Cigars are often for celebrations, are they not?

People smoke for different reasons. Like most if not all substances, they can be used to feel slightly better when you aren't feeling good, they can be used to enhance moments where you already feel good, they can even just be habit or addiction. I do agree that if someone feels like they "need" something that in pretty much all cases is detrimental to their health, then there is an underlying issue they aren't addressing.

This is definitely false. I used to smoke celebratory cigarettes regularly.

Smoking usually starts socially. Then it becomes a coping mechanism. You're not wrong, some people go straight to it to cope but your post is straight up saying all smokers are plagued by problems and anxiety.

I've quit a few months ago and I miss it every day. I will never not want cigarettes. I don't want to die horribly or become more disabled than I already am, but I do miss lighting up a cig. I used to smoke 5 packs a day. No joke. That's about 100 cigs a day. I had to cut down cuz I started coughing up blood. Vaping sucked. No joy in that, no sting to let you know you're alive. I feel like since I've quit, while I may not be an aggressive dick as much as I used to, I am wayyyyy more depressed than ever now that they're not in my life anymore. Except when I smell them on the wind when someone else is smoking. It makes me jealous. I miss smoking. It feels like a breakup.

I smoke after sex. So, before we had kids, I was a pack-a-day man

There are some ex-smokers who claim that they never enjoyed it. Then there are some who go on to claim that nobody ever does. The former, I can believe.

Have you ever smoked? Because I assure you you're wrong about this.

I’ve known enough people who happily, knowingly, smoked themselves right into the grave to know this just isn’t the case.

Granted you said cigarette not cigar, but Red Arbuch disagrees with you.

Once addicted, there is nothing more pleasant than coming outside into the sunshine and lighting up that cigarette you've been craving for a few hours.

I guess it's not real happiness when it's caused by liquor... 🤔

Nicotine exacerbates anxiety. It's just an addiction, not a mental health coping method.

Started smoking as an anxiety coping mechanism cause I got traumatised by midterms in school. Then it became pleasurable and an oral fetish.