It’s 2025, and did you know that the global smoking rate has dropped to around 15%? (The last known statistic is from 2020, and it was 23.6% then. Clearly, 15% is my estimate, and as you can see, I try to put a positive spin on it.) On the other hand, climate change awareness has significantly increased, with over 80% of the population acknowledging its existence and human contribution.

Why am I beginning this way, you ask? Because my latest guest on the podcast shared some amazing facts which you may or may not be aware of. He’s been a journalist for over 40 years and has been investigating the climate space for more than 20 years.

Back to the Smoking Part

In the US in the 1960s, about 42.6% of the population smoked. It was about 50% for Canadians, and comparable in Europe at the same time. (That’s the highest levels ever reported.) Advertising promoted the good life. Women discovered that it could not only make them look cool, but it could also help keep them slim. Even doctors smoked in those days.

By the mid 70’s, studies were coming out suggesting direct links from smoking to unpleasant, sometimes deadly diseases. Doctors had access to those reports, and soon it became very common to get lectures about stopping smoking from all healthcare providers.

Tobacco companies also obtained those studies and were not exactly pleased with the results. So they launched a lobby group with some very interesting tactics. Instead of saying the studies were flawed or wrong, the lobby group chose to have experts (scientists and some doctors) say the data wasn’t entirely accurate or comparable, that the studies hadn’t really been completed yet. So it was tough to draw definitive conclusions.

In other words, throw a whole whack of dough at any problem, like only the Americans can, insert some half-truths, and suddenly, the public begins to doubt the validity and veracity of the studies. And it continues to do what it likes. It continues to smoke. 

These days, some 50 years later, the number of smokers in North America rests at around 11.6%. I am pretty sure we all know at least one person in our lives (smoker or not) who has been plagued by lung cancer, emphysema, COPD or some other respiratory disease. Truly, smoking is not the best thing we can do for ourselves. And we know that. Definitively.

Back to the 1970s

Exxon (the ginormous oil and gas company) did extensive internal research about the effect it was having on the planet. Specifically, the effect of fossil fuel burning and global warming. Their scientists provided accurate projections of temperature changes, even building rigorous climate models. This research was later incorporated into a corporate primer on carbon dioxide and climate change in 1982.

Ultimately, executives at Exxon prioritized profit-making over environmental concerns and disregarded the report’s findings. And when that primer on carbon dioxide and climate change came out, all the oil and gas companies were thrown into an existential frenzy. So they decided to take a page out of the tobacco industry’s book.

They launched their own ginormous lobby group, found credible scientists to stand up and declare that the studies hadn’t really been completed yet, so it was very difficult to draw definite conclusions, that flatulence from animals and humans also contributed to global warming and really, even we scientists can see there are holes in the studies, making the validity and soundness of the studies questionable.

The result was a somewhat confused population.  And those confused human beings did what they always do. Accepted the latest round of factoids, joked about the deliberate diversion (the flatulence part) and decided they did not have to make any changes to their lifestyle.

The Good News Hidden in Plain Sight

These days, a significant majority of North Americans (72%-82%) believe that climate change is happening and is primarily caused by human activities. HOWEVER, there is a notable divide in public opinion and concern levels. Barely 35% of the population is CONCERNED.

No doubt, the scientists who were paid to spread half-truths and misinformation from the 1970s helped create and cement that divide. And since nobody goes to a scientist for advice on getting healthier, there has been no equivalent to the family doctor to constantly nag us about changing our behaviours.

But here’s what gives me hope: We’ve done this before, and we won.

The Smoking Victory Formula

Think about it. In North America, at least we managed to reduce smoking from 42.6% to 11.6%. That’s a 73% reduction! How did we do it? Not through shame or fear alone, but through a combination of strategies that we can absolutely apply to climate change.

We made it personal and immediate. Your doctor didn’t just say, “smoking is bad for society.” They said, “YOU could get lung cancer. YOUR kids are breathing secondhand smoke.” We need climate conversations to be just as personal.

We made it social. Smoking went from cool to uncool. Restaurants banned it. Offices banned it. Dating profiles started saying “non-smokers only.” We literally changed the culture. Clean energy and climate action can become as socially desirable as they are environmentally beneficial.

We made it easier to quit than to continue. Nicotine patches, support groups, and insurance coverage for cessation programs. We need to make climate-friendly choices the easier choice – better public transit, affordable electric cars, energy-efficient homes that actually save money.

We kept the pressure on. Warning labels, taxes, lawsuits, and yes, doctors who nagged patients at every visit about the dangers of smoking. We need our own ‘nagging doctors’ for climate, whether that’s utility bills that show your carbon footprint or apps that remind you to take climate-friendly actions regularly.

The Climate Opportunity

Here’s the beautiful difference between smoking and climate change. Quitting smoking was mostly about giving things up. Climate action is about building something better. The transition to clean energy is creating millions of jobs. Electric cars are becoming faster and cheaper. Clean air feels amazing. Solar panels save money.

We’re not asking people to suffer – we’re asking them to join the upgrade.

What We Can Do Right Now

Be the doctor in someone’s life. Not by lecturing, but by sharing what climate change means for things they already care about — such as their budget, their children’s future, and their community’s safety. For instance, you can share information about how energy-efficient appliances can save money on utility bills, or how investing in renewable energy can secure a better future for their children.

Make it social and positive. Share wins, not just warnings. Celebrate friends who opt for solar panels or electric cars, just as we do for other positive life choices.

Vote and advocate. Those tobacco victories didn’t happen by accident. They happened because people demanded policy changes and held companies accountable.

Start conversations. Remember: 72-82% already believe climate change is real. We’re not fighting denial anymore – we’re fighting the gap between belief and action.

The tobacco industry spent decades convincing us their product wasn’t harmful. The fossil fuel industry spent decades doing the same thing. But just like we eventually saw through Big Tobacco’s lies, we’re seeing through the climate misinformation, too. The question isn’t whether we can change – we’ve already proven we can. The question is how fast we’ll do it this time.

Your turn: What’s one climate action you could take that would also make your life better? Share it with someone. Start a conversation. Be part of the solution that future generations will thank us for.

In Summary

The smoking epidemic took 50 years to turn around. We don’t have 50 years for climate change, but we also don’t need that much time. We have better tools, better technology, and a better understanding of how to create change. Most importantly, we have you.