Fifty years ago Surgeon General first warned of smoking risk
Feb 21, 2014, 5:58 AM | Updated: 6:40 am
The original Surgeon General's report dropped like a bomb on America in 1964. It was headline news for days - cigarettes cause cancer and death - a conclusion backed up by science for the first time. (AP Photo/file)
(AP Photo/file)
It’s been 50 years since the Surgeon General first came out with its findings on smoking that linked the behavior to deadly diseases and death.
In that time, smoking has gone down, but one in five Americans still light up.
The original Surgeon General’s report dropped like a bomb on America in 1964. It was headline news for days – cigarettes cause cancer and death – a conclusion backed up by science for the first time.
Former Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, said it rocked the country.
“This was the first major scientific report to take on what we called ‘big tobacco,'” she told KIRO Radio.
Dr. Elders says tobacco companies were spending billions of dollars a year on advertising, denying there were any health risks associated with smoking.
They even put the commercials in
kids programming to get them hooked early. Dr. Elders said that’s when they decided to step in.
“When more young people or children knew about Joe Camel than knew Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus, it was felt that it was time to really get busy and do something.”
In the 50 years since the first Surgeon General’s report, smoking rates in the U.S. have dropped. In 1964, 42 percent of Americans smoked. Now, it’s about 18 percent.
But that’s still too high said Dr. Elders.
“We’re really trying to increase the awareness of all the people out there and to try and make sure that we promote prevention,” she said.
The Surgeon General says nearly 450,000 people die prematurely each year because of smoking, and the war is not over.
She knows it’s addicting and tough to quit, but a person’s health improves the minute they stop lighting up.
What would she say to the person who doesn’t want to quit?
“You know better,” she said. “You just don’t do better. So we’re wanting you to act better for the sake of your family. If you won’t do it for you, do it for the next generation. They’re depending on you.”
Because of that original surgeon general’s report, the warning label on cigarette packs were required the following year.
And ads were pulled from radio and TV within six years and programs to help people stop smoking were founded.
