Survey suggests those in search of Cupid's arrow may want to kick the smoking habit

NEW YORK — Match.com and Pfizer on Wednesday announced results from a recent survey showing that single smokers may want to consider breaking up with their cigarettes as they look for that special someone this year. Nearly 9-in-10 (89%) respondents said they prefer not to date someone who smokes, and when asked which actions were unacceptable on a first date, more said taking a smoke break (51%) than checking one’s phone (45%) or being late (40%).

"Our survey revealed fascinating information. Just as many smokers trying to quit look forward to not having ‘smokers breath’ in intimate situations as they do breathing better," said Bela Gandhi, Match.com relationship expert and founder of the Smart Dating Academy. “The key to finding love starts with feeling great about yourself. Achieving anything big in life, like quitting smoking or finding love, requires making a plan and sticking to it.”

Given recent New Year’s resolutions and that Valentine’s Day is around the corner, Pfizer has unveiled a new program, “We Heart Quitters,” to help. People can visit www.WeHeartQuitters.com to download tips and resources to help quit and information about a non-nicotine prescription treatment option.

The survey of Match.com members also found:

• 57% of respondents said they would never date a smoker;


• The top concerns about dating a smoker were the smokers’ long-term health (78%), the smell of cigarettes on their person (75%) or in their home/vehicle (80%) and their own personal health (62%); and


• When it comes to being a good kisser, 78% of respondents think fresh breath is the top attribute; 78% also said they mind kissing a smoker after they have had a cigarette.

“Most smokers want to quit. They just need the confidence to believe they can,” said Mitchell Nides, director, Picture Quitting, the entertainment industry’s Quit Smoking Program. “Quitting can be tough, but we have tools to help make a person’s quit attempt easier. If you want to quit, a great place to start is talking to your healthcare provider to learn about these tools, including medications and practical strategies for dealing with urges to smoke.”