The United States is fast becoming a non-smoking country! How did this come about?

Seventy and even eighty years ago cigarette smoking was commonplace among adults and teenagers. I remember those days very well. It seemed people smoked everywhere: at home, in offices, on the street, in restaurants, at meetings. I believe 60 to 70 percent of adults and teenagers were cigarette smokers.

During World War II cigarette companies bragged in their advertising about sending one millions cigarettes to “our troops abroad” each week. In meetings, the room would be filled with cigarette smoke. In homes, all rooms would have the lingering odor of tobacco smoke for days, weeks and months. Occasionally, the cigar smoker would be asked to “step outside” to enjoy his stogie, but not the cigarette smoker. It was the normal activity. The non smoker was forced to endure. Young girls would rationalize their smoking by saying “it gives me something to do with my hands!” The practice was just accepted. The only places where smoking was forbidden were theaters (the fire hazard), schools, and churches.

During the 1960’s health scientists began to recognize a connection between cigarette smoke and lung cancer. As these facts became recognized by the general public a long and difficult campaign began to educate the public about the dangers of smoking and enact laws restricting the use of cigarettes in public places. Any reduction in smoking was fought “tooth and nail” by the tobacco companies and farmers growing tobacco. In the face of severe opposition cigarette advertising was required to carry a warning about cigarette smoking. As a result not a single cigarette package was without such a warning. Cities seeking more income cooperated to raise taxes on cigarettes. Today these taxes are a source of income and hopefully a deterrent to the smoker and a contribution to clean air.

In the last ten years a ban on smoking in offices, restaurants, trains, etc. has been required and praised by most and violently objected to by some. Today no one can smoke in offices, buildings, restaurants, athletic arenas and most public places in most large cities. I do not know how it is in small cities in the US. As a former smoker and with non smokers, we really appreciate these rules because the air is cleaner and smoke free.

These changes have taken place after much heated debate and intense discussion. The growing number of lung cancer victims has been a big factor as well to help the public realize that smoking is unhealthy, expensive, affects the environment and repulsive to many. Remember, in the United States we have laws protecting our personal freedoms, so any public rules must recognize this basic principle. However, these changes show what can be accomplished if the general public is aroused. Today, about 25 % of the adult and teenage population still smoke, but the campaign continues. Income and education levels seem to reflect smoking habits. Thirty-one percent of adults without a college degree smoke compared to nine percent of college graduates. Fortunately, the level of smoking adults drops slightly each year and falling perceptibly from the 1960 and 70’s.

The seventy year campaign against smoking in the United States can be compared with the effort in other countries. Although I have no statistical evidence, my observation when traveling is that smoking is much more prevalent in many countries. In Europe smoking is still very evident in spite of European efforts in environmental areas. Asia is still a big market for American tobacco makers.

Progress in fighting smoking in the World may be slow, but with the medical, health and environmental facts arrayed against smoking I believe progress will continue.