It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the tobacco problem. Tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Every day I talk to people suffering from emphysema or heart disease and tobacco is largely to blame. I talk to people whose budgets are drained by the price of their habit and whose families are begging them to quit. Tobacco takes its toll.

But then I take a step back and look at the BIG picture. I think of where our society was, even just 60 or 70 years ago, and I'm struck with the realization that we've come a LONG way. Back in my grandparents' day, Americans' views on smoking were radically different than today. Smoking wasn't just accepted, it was glamorized. Movie stars made smoking seem modern and sexy. Cigarettes were accessible, too. The military gave away cigarettes with food rations to soldiers. Children could buy cigarettes with just a note from a parent and people smoked everywhere, even in the restaurants, the grocery stores, and the offices. Smoking was widely accepted.

With that picture in mind, fast forward to today's culture. While back then, close to half of people smoked, now smokers are the minority at only around 20% of the population. Smoking is banned in many public places, like restaurants. Some employers have banned smoking on company premises, and in some states, it's even illegal to smoke with a child in the car. Things have changed. One of the major reasons people choose to quit is that they feel like society no longer accepts smokers. As a Quit Coach, I always ask participants WHY they want to quit. I often hear statements like, "I feel like an outcast" and "None of my friends smoke."

What's the bottom line? Tobacco is still a big problem. But the way smoking fits into our culture has dramatically changed in recent years, and that is a significant achievement. Tobacco is much less prevalent than it used to be and there is high awareness of the health risks. Where will we be in 50 or 100 years from now? The answer lies with us.