I take it you don't hear the Pogues/Kirsty McColl Christmas hit (Fairytale Of New York) in Canada, of if you do the 'edited' version?
I think the 'severity' of some words varies between different English-speaking countries.
Just to correct you the term 'fag' we use in the UK for cigarette isn't derived from 'faggot' but 'fag end' which is the unfinished piece of a rope or material, then discarded. Just like a cigarette butt. (Oh, no! I said 'butt'...

which generally has a different meaning here to N.America.)
So I think 'may' is a fair word to use, because it allows scope to cover those who would be really offended, down to those who apply no real significance to it in their social group/country/house or whatever.
It's hard to please everybody. I was only trying to.
If you remember here once
@kimss was laughing (American I believe) at one of my Rhino videos when I stated 'I'm just gonna roll a fag' (make my own cigarette before any eyebrows are raised!) as to him it was like I was intending to go out and rob a gay man.