If you cigarettes are more than 6 months old from the date stamp you can expect a harsher taste and should consider just returning them while in the store. If they are not lazy they can receive full replacements from PM just by asking.

Instead though they don't care about freshness and often sell 2 year old cigarettes to unknowing consumers. A= January, B=February and so on through L=December and 9 means 2009. PM, RJR, and Lorillard all have there own customer date codes and the post above was correct about RJR's as it is the easiest.

Canada's highest rate of smokers are adults aged 19 to 29, the largest age range in the dating pool.

So it's no coincidence that the Canadian Cancer Society opted to launch a campaign entitled "Break It Off" this year, which focuses on the same problems people have in their relationships."When you talk to smokers, they say it's like a bad boyfriend," says Kyle Mc Keown, communications coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society's Smokers' Helpline.

Most countries have laws that restrict those below a minimum age from legally purchasing tobacco products.

For smokers, lighting up is still seen as stress relief, a part of a social life and less helpfully, an addiction to nicotine.

Years of peer pressure, picking up old habits or just trying to fit in with the crowd, can leave people struggling to kick the butt when starting a new relationship.

"It's an issue for relationships if finances are involved.

When somebody decides to smoke their money away, it can be very devastating to the other partner," she says.