"The debate is now over" ... I wish. On paper, maybe, but on the streets I still see a sizable portion of population that believes smoking is not so bad when combined with drinking, or that smoking thinner cigarettes is ok.
Just because the debate is over, doesn't mean people will stop doing it. People do things they know to be harmful every day, from drinking high-sugar soda to eating large amounts of red meat. It's just people.
The red meat thing is false BTW.
Replace with anything you fancy, then. The point still stands. People do bad stuff to themselves fully aware of the consequences.
Like eating too many, too few, or just the right amount of eggs high in good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, or just the right amount of morally ambiguous cholesterol.
Whatever blows your hair back, bud.
it's an irrational mix of not-me behavior, plain ignorance to one's health in the future, good old addict behavior and so on. humans are far from being rational beings, and addictions are all about emotions