Smokers are highly visible people. Since they can't always smoke inside, you'll find them outside, smoking near the exits or entrances to buildings or walking around campus. At bars or parties, you can't miss them. They're the ones with a cloud of smoke around them and using dramatic hand gestures. Or they're the ones out the balcony in the winter freezing!

Advertising and popular media consistently "normalize" smoking. College students today have, in essence, been raised with Joe Camel and other tobacco campaigns. They have seen the ads in their magazines, the tobacco companies promoting concerts and events, and the smokers on the big screen. However, did you know that the smoking rate among primary movie characters is about 300% higher than it is for people in real life! (Source: http://smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/problem/major.html)

Because the habit can be so visible, it can appear that everyone is smoking when really most are choosing not to smoke.

Social Norming—What is it?

A 4-Step Social Norming Plan

How Tobacco Prevention and Control and Social Norms Work as a Team