Well this is hilarious! I wish it were true.

1) HDL is increased in smoking:
Smoking prevents the intravascular remodeling of high-density lipoprotein particles: implications for reverse cholesterol transport. [Metabolism: Clinical And Experimental [Metabolism] 2004 Jul; Vol. 53 (7), pp. 858-62] Authors, Zaratin AC; Quintão EC; Sposito AC; Nunes VS; Lottenberg AM; Morton RE; de Faria EC

However what is interesting is that halving your smoking won't produce much benefit.
Another article.
"Smoking reduction fails to improve clinical and biological markers of cardiac disease: A randomized controlled trial." By: Joseph, Anne M.; Hecht, Stephen S.; Murphy, Sharon E.; Lando, Harry; Carmella, Steven G.; Gross, Myron; Bliss, Robin; Le, Chap T.; Hatsukami, Dorothy K.. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Mar2008, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p471-481, 11p; DOI: 10.1080/14622200801901948; (AN 31214790)

And here is the abstract: Cigarette reduction has been proposed as a treatment goal for smokers who are not interested in stopping completely. This randomized controlled trial was designed to determine the effect of a smoking reduction intervention on smoking behavior, symptoms of heart disease, and biomarkers of tobacco exposure. It included 152 patients with heart disease who did not intend to stop smoking in the next 30 days. Participants were randomly assigned to smoking reduction (SR) or usual care (UC). SR subjects received counseling and nicotine replacement therapy to encourage ≥50% reduction in cigarettes per day (CPD). They were followed at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months to assess smoking, heart disease symptoms, quality of life and nicotine, cotinine, carbon monoxide (CO), white blood cell (WBC) count, fibrinogen, hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), F2-isoprostane, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronides (total NNAL), and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP). At 6 months SR participants reduced by 10.9 CPD, compared with 7.4 CPD in UC (difference NS). At 18 months, 9/78 SR vs. 9/74 UC participants quit smoking. There were no significant differences between treatment groups in angina, quality of life or adverse events, nicotine, cotinine, CO, WBC count, fibrinogen, hs-CRP, F2-isoprostane, total NNAL or 1-HOP levels at any time point. To determine if smoking reduction, regardless of treatment condition, was associated with improved outcomes, we compared all subjects at 6 months to baseline (mean reduction in CPD from 27.4 to 18.1, p<.01). There were no significant changes in outcome variables except CO, which decreased by 5.5 ppm (p<.01). There were also no significant improvements considering only subjects who reduced by ≥50%, or those who had no history of reduction prior to enrollment in the study. The SR intervention did not significantly reduce CPD or toxin exposure, or improve smoking cessation or clinical outcomes compared to UC. These results... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Cigarettes:"

I wouldn't recommend anyone take up cigarettes but I bet more people die of medical treatments [drugs etc] prescibed than they do of cigarette smoking.

Everyone I know that smokes uses it to handle their stress.
You don't even need a doctors appointment or a chemist to get this treatment.

Its probably not the cigarettes that kills the person but the stress he is trying to handle with it. Like many other physical treatments it only suppresses the symptoms.

At least the smoker payes for his medication, plus allot extra for any health problems later on. You could say he follows the libertarian philosopy of pay for your health treatment yourself.

Thanks for sharing that.

More reasons...you may want to take up smoking for the kids.

"If alcohol is queen, then tobacco is her consort. It's a fond companion for all occasions, a loyal friend through fair weather and foul. People smoke to celebrate a happy moment, or to hide a bitter regret. Whether you're alone or with friends, it's a joy for all the senses. What lovelier sight is there than that double row of white cigarettes, lined up like soldiers on parade and wrapped in silver paper? I love to touch the pack in my pocket, open it, savor the feel of the cigarette between my fingers, the paper on my lips, the taste of tobacco on my tongue. I love to watch the flame spurt up, love to watch it come closer and closer, filling me with its warmth."

Luis Bunuel

"A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?"

Oscar Wilde