Recreational smoker but Insurace Question

[YESANOTHERNONSMOKER]

If I have been a recreational smoker, i.e. only smoking when having a drink a couple of nights a week and applying for a Life Insurance Policy, should I declare that I an or am not a smoker ?  I have given up completely recently but not in the last year.  Firstly will they check up with my medical records that I tell the nurse I smoke about 20 a week or should I wait for a year to start up a life cover policy?  (50% additional cost is alot for an ex-recreational smoker.)
Would the policy become void if I have a car accident ?  I think not but just to be sure I'd like some advice please.
Also, could anyone answer whether a test would confirm that someone was smoking instead of taking NRT like patches ot inhaler (which I use).
Many thanks,

[teko]

As far as insurance, any kind of insurance, you either smoke or you dont. The fact that you do makes you a risk to them no matter how little or much you do it. It can cause you higher premiums or some people will not cover you at all. If you are on patches it means you are still smoking and will show up in the blood regardless of the tool used to put it there. Patches are a nicotine delivery system every bit as much as smoking or chewing. Personally I would quit immediately and if you have never been treated for smoke related illness I would say no. Once they find out you do, have or might, you will pay more. Example I do not smoke now, have not for 9 months, but do you think a insurance company will have mercy on me? Not! Especially when I smoked for 35 years before quitting. Take my advice if you care about your health or your pocketbook. STOP. It takes 3 days for nicotine to leave your system but is in the hair until its cut out.

[ducky406]

Every cigarette does your body harm. So recreational smoker or not, your body shows that you smoke/smoked. I know the body slower recuperates from smoking, but I don't know about time frames. Sometimes the questions in the policy ask about time- "in the past 6 months have you smoked", "In the past 5 years have you smoked". If the questions aren't clear, maybe you should talk to an agent. It's better to be honest and be covered than to smudge the edges and not be covered when something happens.