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The Impact of the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking

Sixty years past, approximately 70 million individuals in the United States engaged in smoking. In 1965, around 42 percent of adults claimed to be smokers, with tobacco advertisements ubiquitous and often portraying smoking as glamorous and beneficial for health. Brands like Camel asserted that their cigarettes “don’t get your wind,” while Old Gold promoted theirs as “fresh as mountain air.”

Therefore, it was a considerable surprise to many when, on January 11, 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry took to the airwaves to declare that tobacco use is correlated with significant health issues, including illness and death.

Appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, Luther Terry had recently examined findings from a comprehensive 14-month study, conducted by a group of elite medical professionals. Their extensive report, covering 387 pages, concluded that smoking is a primary contributor to lung cancer, throat cancer, and chronic bronchitis.

As CBS News summarized at the time, Terry emphasized, “In short, the committee says if you smoke cigarettes, you increase your chances of dying early. The sooner you start, the more you smoke, the more you inhale, the worse your chances are.”

Conclusive Findings and Health Risks

The committee, comprised of five smokers and five non-smokers, faced media inquiries during a press conference to announce their findings. They revealed that the annual toll of lung cancer-related deaths in the U.S. reached 41,000—more than fatalities from car accidents, which were estimated at around 38,000. They stated that approximately 752,000 Americans died due to smoking-related causes in 1962 alone. Terry urged all smokers to consider quitting.

While the connection between smoking and cancer was previously noted, the findings of the committee were profoundly significant. Medical professionals had long been aware of the detrimental pulmonary effects of smoking. As lung surgeon Alton Ochsner articulated in 1939, “Inhaled smoke, constantly repeated over a long period of time, undoubtedly is a source of chronic irritation to the bronchial mucosa.” Over the years, researchers observed a rise in lung cancer cases, though many tended to attribute this increase to other environmental pollutants like vehicle emissions, industrial fumes, and more.

Research into the smoking habits of lung cancer patients versus healthy individuals began as early as the 1920s, revealing stark correlations between the two groups. This led to further studies popping up in the 1950s, ultimately culminating in the influential report from the surgeon general.

The Establishment of Health Warnings

1964 marked a pivotal moment for the anti-smoking movement within the U.S. Following the surgeon general’s announcement, cigarette packages began to carry the mandatory warning: “Caution: Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health.” Over the years, this warning evolved into increasingly explicit alerts as public health experts inched closer to a consensus on the health risks associated with tobacco use. Today, the Food and Drug Administration mandates 11 distinct warning labels on tobacco products, often including vivid images aimed at shocking consumers into awareness. Phrases such as “Smoking reduces blood flow to the limbs, which can require amputation” highlight the severe consequences of tobacco use.

Despite initial resistance and a resurgence of youth smoking during the 1980s, smoking rates have steadily declined since the announcement of the surgeon general’s report. Historical data from Gallup surveys indicated that at least 40% of Americans reported having smoked a cigarette in the previous week from 1941 to 1974. As we approach 2024, that figure has dramatically decreased to just one in every hundred individuals.

This transformation reflects not only public health efforts but also a fundamental change in societal attitudes toward smoking and wellness.

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www.smithsonianmag.com