I don't meet smokers arguing smoking isn't actually bad though...

I haven't met one that argued it isn't bad, but many have certainly downplayed it, or they have wildly different standards.

Like...15 years ago, I dated a girl that smoked, but wouldn't eat anything with artificial Blue or Red color because supposedly those cause cancer. I said, "You know those cigarettes cause cancer, right?" and got met with a "yeah whatever".

That relationship didn't last (for many reasons), and I'll never again date a smoker. I always felt we were limited on the things we could do because she HAD to have that cigarette every ~30 minutes.

My mom switched from Diet Coke to full sugar Coke because she heard that Diet Coke causes cancer. All while being a pack a day smoker. It’s crazy out there.

Some smokers will tell you about one guy that drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney and still lived until 100 or something like that.

I have. You just haven't run into someone delusional enough. It's apparently a lie concocted by white people.