Smexting - The SMS Phenomenon Caused By Smoking Bans (GALLERY)

Ever since the public smoking ban was set in the UK, a record number of text messages have been sent, a phenomenon the Daily Mail has dubbed, “smexting”. For many people, smoking is a very social habit. It’s often one of the easiest ways to strike up a conversation and meet new people.

“In the two weeks after the ban on smoking in confined spaces came into force on 1 July, mobile phone company Orange said 7.5 million more texts than normal were sent across its network.”

Forced to move outside when they go for a fag, smokers have had to rely on other ways to socialize as finding a fellow cigarette addict outdoors isn’t as easy as inside the office lounge.

Either that, or it’s all those people who used the ban as a motivator to butt out looking for another way to keep their hands and mouths busy. A major part of cigarette addiction is the motion of doing it, of having something to do—hence the reason people tend to gain weight when they finally quit.

Perhaps cell phones will be the next way to stop over-eating, and potentially, help with the growing obesity problem. The cost of increased texting would probably be equivalent to what a smoker used to spend on their nic fix anyway.