Yes, but he tested for likelihood of lung cancer through gene screening. Odds we favourable so he kept smoking.

I can't tell if you're joking or not but that's an interesting approach for sure. I'm surprised gene screening was accurate enough to do that 20-40 years ago?

LOL. I think he was an idiot, in that regards. Similarities to Steve Jobs, who resorted to quackery with his cancer. People can be geniuses and dumbasses at the same time.

I don't see the quackery, man liked smoking so he kept smoking. I think you're assuming some stronger claim about smoking or genetics which nobody has made.

What about giving cancer to others by secondary smoke inhalation, what about tongue cancer and mouth cancer and gum disease and cardio-vascular problems and breathing difficulties and eventual COPD and all the negatives of smoking that aren’t lung cancer?

He was. But it's irrelevant question on the topic of his success.

Is it? Being on a constant drip of nootropic nicotine might be an important factor

Yes, famously so. I don't think I've ever met anyone that smoked as much as he did.