Up in Smoke
The Tobacco Industry’s Free Rein Ends
The causal link between tobacco products and health risks is one of the most well-established in medicine, but that wasn’t always the case. Not that long ago, cigarettes were everywhere, and people would light up in hospitals, airplanes, and even schools. But Americans’ relationship with smoking began to change on Jan. 11, 1964, with a devastating report from the surgeon general’s office. Before that fateful day, no one knew whether smoking was bad for your health. Unsurprisingly, many people already suspected the truth — 44% of surveyed Americans believed smoking caused cancer in 1958 — but even many medical professionals were in denial. Confusing the issue further, big tobacco companies vehemently denied their products came with health risks. Surgeon General Luther Terry commissioned the report in 1962, which gathered 10 experts and 150 consultants to review more than 7,000 scientific articles on smoking. Terry
himself was a lifelong smoker, but the Kennedy administration was under pressure to do something about the dangers of tobacco, and he valued the medical truth over his pride. The report entitled “Smoking and Health” contained many conclusions that will not surprise readers today. Though most of the findings referred to male smokers, later research would show women experience similar risks. The report found that smoking causes lung cancer, the risk of lung cancer increases with the length and quantity of cigarette use, and smokers have a higher rate of coronary heart disease. It also concluded that smoking was associated with a 70% increased death rate among men. Dr. Terry later recalled that the report “hit the country like a bombshell.” His office had specifically decided to release the news on a Saturday to limit its effects on the stock market. In 1964, 70 million Americans smoked, comprising 42% of the population.
So, in the face of such definitive science, Congress felt compelled to take action.
In 1965, Congress began requiring all cigarette packages to contain a warning about the health effects of smoking, and in 1970, a ban on television and radio advertising took effect. While the tobacco lobby successfully held off most indoor smoking bans until the 1990s, the surgeon general’s report profoundly impacted individual people’s choices in the meantime. In 2014, a study found that over 50 years, the surgeon general’s report had saved 8 million lives — and counting. In 2020, an estimated 12.5% of U.S. adults (about 31 million adults) regularly smoked cigarettes.
Have a Laugh!
Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Stew
Inspired by EatingWell.com
Ingredients
• 4 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed • 6 cups chicken broth • 1 cup chopped yellow onion • 1 cup sliced carrots • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary • 1 4-oz Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 1-lb bone-in chicken breasts • 4 cups chopped kale • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/2 tsp ground pepper • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1/4 cup parsley leaves
directions
1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine beans, broth, onion, carrots, rosemary, and Parmesan rind. Top with chicken. Cover and cook on low until the beans and vegetables are tender, about 7–8 hours. 2. Remove chicken from slow cooker. On a clean cutting board, let the chicken rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and discard bones. 3. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in kale. Cover and cook on high until kale is tender, 20–30 minutes. 4. Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Discard the Parmesan rind. Serve the stew drizzled with oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
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