I somewhat disagree.
The big companies lure youngsters to begin smoking at a young age and once hooked they are addicted. It is extremely tough to break a smoking habit due to the chemicals, namely nicotine, in the smoke. I know this first hand as it was very tough for me to stop.
In a weird way I tend to agree with the statement of the CDC Director even though I must admit his actions on the Ebola issue have been more than appauling.
The addiction is more psychological than physical. I smoked for 8 years and then one day put them down and never picked up another.