I believe we are discussing tznious here, and smoking is a major lack of tznious. you say smoking is a “bigger” issue here, yet you say talmidei chachomim are smoking, and just because they are smoking does not make it right, and the fact that “highly respected” yidden are doing such things while people look the other way shows how much people DON”T think it’s a big deal.
For those of you who are ignorant to the facts of smoking, I pulled this up from a government website:
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder.
Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year
Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer.
And for those of you who do not view it as a tznious issue, Let me put it in to perspective for you, Just like you’re saying that women are looking like non jews, the way they are dressing, and making men uncomfortable, and do aveiros not only do smokers look non jewish and make not just women, but everyone around you uncomfortable, and have bad thoughts about you, when you smoke, you look trashy and low class to people of all faiths.