Parents who smoke feel guilty about being role models for smoking; they feel hypocritical about trying to prevent their children from smoking. For these reasons, it's difficult to persuade parents who smoke to become anti-smoking advocates in the home.

The fact that parents who smoke can exert a protective anti-smoking effect on their children might seem counter-intuitive. Other research has already found that strong parental attitudes and actions against smoking reduce the odds of children using tobacco. Our study found that the same is true even when the parents themselves are smokers.

Still, most parents who smoke ardently hope that their children do not smoke. Public health educators and pediatricians should make a special effort to help parents who smoke take action, so that their children won't face the same deadly health threat that they face.

Our students need to see role models. We feel very strongly about that.

The take-home message is to never start smoking, and if you do smoke, to quit.

I'm not paid to be a role model, parents should be role models.