What kind of friends are only so because you smoke? What kind of friends wouldn't want you to help yourself, and wouldn't encourage your personal development towards something you wanted? If any so-called friends alienate you because you are quitting smoking, then they're the one with the true problem. Too often, people drag each other down into the desperation they feel themselves. Smoking wont deprive you of a single true friend or loved one - unless you don't quit, in which case you will deprive them of you. The truth is that you might be depriving yourself of possible new friendships and acquaintences by smoking. When you quit, your smoking friends will most likely look up to you to help them quit too.