This paragraph in Leshner's op ed:
In April, 1994 — long after scientists had clearly demonstrated the
addictive quality and devastating health impacts of cigarette smoking
— seven chief executives of major tobacco companies denied the
evidence, swearing under oath that nicotine was not addictive.
reminded me of growing up in the 70's, while the long battle over the health effects of smoking was still under way, with the cigarette companies denying links between smoking and cancer, or the addictive effects of cigs on young people, and the earlier ad campaigns to combat the mounting evidence turned science against itself.
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Watch “Madmen” season 1 and 2 for a take on how Madison Ave attempts to deal with the forthcoming scientific news on the negative effects of smoking. Based in 1960-1
Sadly, incidents of lung cancer began to sky-rocket in the U.S. in the late 1930’s – 20 years after cigarettes were freely provided to the WW1 doughbouys. It’s also the beginning of products like cig’s, chocolate, chewing gum, etc., moving down the demographic scale from luxury items to widely available mass consumer goods in the 1920’s.
Lunch-bucket-Joe/Joan could smoke cheaply like crazy. All, reinforced by the glamour of Hollywood and Madison Ave. advertising at the same time.
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we’re renting Season 1 of Madmen as I reading all this. Dealing with the Lucky Strike accounts and the ‘lawsuits’. we’re going through it all again.
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