Probably a regional thing. Around here, the smoking section is just as busy if not more so than the not smoking. And the smoking section is larger. Sometimes people have to take a table in non smoking and wait for a table in the smoking section to open up, then move to that section.
Interesting post. Maybe so. Where are you? Here in San Antonio, we are in the Bible Belt, so perhaps a few less smokers, although plenty of people here do smoke.