I've never been a smoker and have always been against it in real life, so I can understand the big 2 Comic companies wanting to get rid of it. That said (wrote), I kinda miss it in the comics.

Does it really make a difference? For one thing, the average age of a comic reader is more in the adult range these days and most comic stories are more mature in content than they were in even the Bronze Age. Comic characters today do all kinds of unhealthy things. Does it really make sense to show characters beating the hell out of each other, blood dripping from their bodies, but not to show smoking? How about characters who sleep around? Is Cat on Bat porn OK for kids to see as long as they don't smoke afterwards?

Another observation I'd like to make is that they could be passing up some obviously good opportunities for in story PSA's. Why not responsibly show characters struggling with smoking addictions? Wouldn't that make them more interesting? Imagine JJJ's wife fighting with him over the cigars, or a Ben Grimm so filled with self loathing he doesn't care about the dangers of smoking. How about a Wolverine who doesn't believe it can hurt him? Marvel had the guts to show an alcoholic Tony Stark in an award winning story, why can't they win awards over the smoking issue?