I just can't say that word!

I would say it won't be a problem to be honest.  I've lived here twenty years and have managed to never eat them or even refer to them in any way.

same here.

It doesn't mean the same thing in the UK and it doesn't bother me if someone else says it here. (Speaking as someone who has personal experience with the "other" meaning in the US.) I've never had reason to say fag or faggot here, but I know people who smoke and say fag. It doesn't bother me.

I probably would feel weird saying it myself, though.

Thats so funny! I love using the word, I find it amusing that its okay to use a potentially offensive word in a completely non-offensive context.

I'm with you on this one... it feels good to throw out the negative connotation of saying "fag" and just use that word to refer to a cigarette! (I've never had much reason to say faggot in reference to the meatball... they look nasty, anyway) A lot of people up here also call cigarettes "tabs" so you can always say that instead of fag, tulip smile (or ciggie, cigarette, smoke, whatever!) As for the meatballs, well, just call them meatballs if you want to. 

Last night on the Michael Mcintyre roadshow he had a hilarious US comic living in Wolverhampton who did a schtick on faggots. 

Just thought I would add that I went to middle school with a girl whose last name was Faggot. Every time they called her name on the loud speaker, the kids would all snicker.  Poor soul!