Joe, did she tell you that kissing a smoker is like licking an ashtray?

One of the little social challenges of middle age is the problem of holding a conversation with a person afflicted with stinky breath. Gum disease, digestive disorders -- these ailments come to plague us as we age, and naturally add halitosis to our burdens. Put a tobacco habit on top of that, and you've got a real recipe for arm's-length relationships.