NEW YORK, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Single smokers may want to consider breaking up with their cigarettes as they look for that special someone, a U.S. survey indicates.
The survey by Match.com, the relationship website, and Pfizer, the drug company, found nearly 9-of-10 respondents said they preferred not to date someone who smoked, and when asked which actions were unacceptable on a first date, more said taking a smoke break -- 51 percent -- than 45 percent who said it was unacceptable to checking one's phone or 40 percent who said being late.
"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," Bela Gandhi, Match.com relationship expert and founder of the Smart Dating Academy, said in a statement.
"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."
The survey of Match.com members also found:
-- Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they would never date a smoker.
-- Seventy-eight percent said the top concerns about dating a smoker was the smokers' long-term health, 75 percent said the top concern was the smell of cigarettes on their person, 80 percent said they were concerned of the smell of their home/vehicle and 62 percent said their top concern was their own personal health.
-- 78 percent said they minded 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 of 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."
For those, who are ready to quit smoking, visit the Quit Resources/Talk to a Doctor area of WeHeartQuitters.com to connect with a healthcare provider online.
The survey was conducted online by Match.com among its U.S. membership from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. It included 1,020 adults age 21 and older regardless of their smoking status. The survey has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
