I've long wondered if a big unsung part of smoking is the way it gets normally high-strung, fast moving and shallow breathers to slow down and inhale deeply for 3-5 mins at a time. They might not get that kind of air any other way
They just went wherever they normally went to smoke and took long breaths with the wood stick in their mouth.
It was 90% about the ritual of going somewhere to just be, think, and breathe and 10% being addicted to nicotine.