I loved this editorial printed in the Trib

Of course he's not the first, but he's a President that many young people relate to. I happen to believe that people in leadership positions have an obligation to be good role models. Obviously nobody's perfect and people mess up - even leaders. But, there are some things you CAN control. If the President were to quit smoking, he could send a powerful message to young people and current smokers - it CAN be done. In fact it is done by many every day. There couldn't be a better time with all we know about the health risks involved in tobacco products and with smoking cessation aids available, media attention that would be given to his success and efforts to reduce second-hand smoke in the public awareness.

Tobacco is a powerful addiction, but sometimes this kind of pressure comes with the job. But, doing hard things, not just talking about them, is what makes greatness. How many people get such an opportunity? You don't get to be a bad role model by choice, Mr. President. You sought the office and with it comes lots of responsibility. This is a relatively small thing you can do to make a big difference. That's my plea and it is shared by this writer, Courtland Milloy of the Washington Post.

Clearly mindful of the image issues smoking may cause, Obama has been careful to keep images of him with what health advocates call "cancer sticks" out of the newspapers.

Some anti-smoking advocates want Obama to come forward even more publicly to discuss his habit.

"I think it would be an enormous first step forward if he would come all the way out of the closet and say, 'I smoke, I wish I didn't, I plan on quitting again, I've tried this many times,'" said Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation. "Because if you dig deep behind the story, my guess is that's probably the reality, that he wants to quit and has tried many times." (ABC News)