Janice Milliman, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:

The next time you go to a movie you're less likely to see someone light up on screen. A recent study published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report concluded that the frequency of smoking in films has greatly reduced in the last five years, thanks to anti-smoking efforts including that of the Smoke Free Movies campaign.

The movie industry and its various studios have received a great deal of pressure to reduce or eliminate tobacco from movies. Since 2007 smoking has been one factor considered for a movie's rating, among others such as sex, violence and language. In 2009 Viacom voluntarily complied and no longer shows smoking in any youth-rated movie.

It is ironic and unfortunate that around the same time we hear the great news about less smoking in the film industry, we are also hit with the bad news of Michael Douglas's throat cancer. Throughout his career, Douglas has been known as a smoker—cigars in particular—and frequently played movie characters that smoked. In a 1998 interview, Douglas said, “I like cigars because it gives people a chance for pause. It's a ritual. It gives you a chance to prepare your thoughts and to think a little bit. I really enjoy smoking with other people because the feeling of camaraderie is so nice. It's a sign of a certain quality of life, an opportunity to take a moment to enjoy not only the cigar, but to celebrate."

It is a common misperception that "enjoying" a cigar isn't smoking, or isn't as bad as a cigarette. Not true. In fact, cigars are wrapped in tobacco leaves, and like cigarettes, have been treated with chemicals to more efficiently deliver nicotine (making them more addictive, in other words). Large, individual cigars can contain more nicotine than an entire pack of cigarettes.

According to The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, "While many believe that cigars are safer than cigarettes because cigar smoke is not inhaled, studies have shown that cigar smokers actually do inhale – even when smoking large premium cigars – thereby absorbing smoke into their lungs and bloodstream, and depositing cigarette smoke particles in their lungs and even in their stomachs and digestive tract. Because large cigars do not have filters, smokers are exposed to more tobacco smoke and, especially, more toxins in the smoke...Cigar smoking is the second most common form of tobacco use among youth. The most recent data available show that 13.6 percent of high school students currently smoke cigars (19.4% among boys; 7.6% among girls).

Moviegoers might see Douglas's cigar smoking film characters as macho, powerful, or even sexy. But the course of his life has now changed as he undergoes treatment for throat cancer. Having to deal with, and possibly die from cancer, isn't macho, sexy or worth all the cigar "enjoyment" in the world.

There’s still work to be done if today’s actors are to protect themselves, each other, and their audiences from the dangers of tobacco use. Despite the recent decline in smoking prevalence on the silver screen, 50 percent of 2009 movies still depicted some kind of tobacco use (kids films actually ranked even higher than 50 percent). The CDC has suggested a total smoking ban on movies – and at the very least, an immediate “R” rating for any film that depicts the use of tobacco.