While there will always be some people that think that smoking looks cool, there are just as many who see it a dirty, unhealthy habit that is not worth taking up and who are undoubtedly pleased that the smoking ban has taken effect in England.

It is hoped that the ban will reduce the number of people who take up smoking, and encourage more to quit. However, smoking may not be stubbed out just yet, because of smirting.

Smirting is an interesting new form of dating that took off in the US and Ireland two years ago when smoking bans were introduced there, the Daily Mail reports.

Smokers were made to go out onto the pavements outside their place of work, pubs, bars, clubs and eateries to have a ciggy, and found that they were often joined by lots of other people who were lighting up.

Chatting among these folk often started by asking each other for lighters or even sharing cigarettes, and in some cases it led to flirting and then dating. This flirting, directly related to smoking, was dubbed smirting, and it is thought that it could become a trend in the UK.

Ella, a stylist from Dublin, is one smoker who has benefited from smirting. She told the paper: “I was going to stop smoking when the ban came in, but giving up was harder than I thought.

“But after a bit I realised I didn´t want to stop, because for a large part of the evening, half of the sexiest men would be standing outside to smoke anyway. I have dated three guys that I smirted with, and one of them is now my current boyfriend.”