try not to, don't try / tend not to, don't tend to

[Hansman]

I try not to smoke.
I don't try to smoke.
I have learned that the two sentences carry the same meaning, but I feel like there is some difference. What do you think?

How about these two sentences with 'tend'?
I tend not to smoke.
I don't tend to smoke.
Do they carry the same meaning? What do you think?

 

[Tarheel]

I try not to smoke - He resists doing it.

I don't try to smoke - He does it without any effort.

I tend not to smoke - His tendency is to not smoke.

I don't tend to smoke - He doesn't tend to smoke (whatever that means).

 

[Piscean]

I try not to smoke.
I don't try to smoke.
I have learned that the two sentences carry the same meaning,

They don't. The first is natural. The second makes little sense.