Tripping Far Side

Once in awhile, I run into something so funny, I just can't laugh. Rather, I'm just flabbergasted and confused. Take, for example, this phrase I found on a cigarette vending machine.

"It is a common practice over there to offer each other a cigarette as daily greetings."
"So I heard. Cigarettes are offered to the other to express friendliness and affection."

Hmm, the spelling is right. The grammar is right. Who can tell me what this means? And, I'm a smoker too hahaha.