The American anti-smoking propaganda machine has purposely warped the social benefit that the addiction of smoking provides to simplify it into a matter of "Smoking doesn't make you cool, like all those peers pressuring you to do it would have you believe." Smoking is a good way to make some friends because you're forced to smoke outside, oftentimes someone else is interested in smoking but might not have any on them, so they'll ask if you mind sparing one, and it offers conversation while everyone outside enjoys their respective cigarettes. It's like any other hobby, really. People who enjoy similar things will make friends with others who similarly enjoy those things.
