Because it was deeply ingrained in our culture. While many became aware of the link between smoking and lung cancer in the 1950's, it wasn't until the Surgeon General's report on smoking and health was released in 1964 that most Americans came to understand just how harmful smoking was to health. read more
Fewer people smoked in the 80s than in the 70s, and fewer people smoked in the 70s than the 60s. The trend continues today. It’s been a very slow weaning process that began with the 1967 US Surgeon General’s Report conclusively linking cigarette smoking to lung cancer. read more