Again, as far as cholesterol and bloodfats, isn't this where the gall bladder plays a very important role?
I mean, to emulsify fats (bile) by joining them with water as opposed to the original separation (can't mix oil and water) would render them less thick in the bloodstream.
From there you would consider artherosclerosis (hardening of the arterial walls) - which, much like total blood serum levels of cholesterol (not solely "dietary") is highly genetic.
If the walls of your arteries are thinning, and developing a thickness to them that is creating blockage, plus the effects of the constant constriction/contraction that smoking provides (especially with alcohol, which is when a lot of people love to smoke) - you compound this even more by the type of LDLs or HDLs that are prevalent in your system and how they are effectively broken down.
Seems to me there are many generalized "blanket" statements being made here. One mans poison is another's longevity. Not all react exactly the same way to identical stimulus, Mr. Mentzer.