Re: Humans Raise Risk of Europe Heatwaves:

["Richard L. Hess" <lists@richardhess.com>]

At 08:52 PM 12/2/2004 -0500, farbersa wrote:

>Hi Don:

>

>Regarding your scepticism about my remark quoted in your post below, I

>have no doubt you were aware that there was substantial anti-smoking

>knowlege when you wrote your 8th grade paper in 1961. However, before you

>argue too strongly that my comment about physicians and other scientists

>continuing to claim smoking was safe long after much scientific

>information to the contrary was known, you should read the following

>excerpt from the source url cited below and the excerpt from the following

>report.

>

>======================

>"Tobacco and Health"

>Expert Witness Report Filed on behalf of Plaintiffs in:

>

>"The United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Philip Morris, Inc., et al.,

>Defendants," Civil Action No. 99-CV-02496 (GK) (Federal case)*

>

>By

>Robert N. Proctor

>

>http://www.psljournal.com/archives/papers/tobacco.cfm

>

>"It would be wrong to imagine, though, that knowledge of these hazards

>quickly became common knowledge. Few people read the technical medical

>literature, and even when people did read or hear about "the cancer

>scare," they also heard--repeatedly and from various sources--that smoking

>was safe. Cigarettes were widely advertised on billboards and in magazines

>and newspapers, and increasingly in movie theaters, on radio, and on

>television. Popular sports figures, movie stars, and other high-profile

>personalities appeared in thousands of cheery tobacco ads with never a

>mention of a hazard. Ronald Reagan and Joe Dimaggio advertised cigarettes

>in the 1940s, as did Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in the 1950s. Perry Como,

>Jimmy Stewart, Frank Sinatra, and football and golf greats Frank Gifford

>and Arnold Palmer all appeared in tobacco ads--along with many other

>popular athletes, singers, media personalities. Popular pro-smoking books

>reported the testimony of physicians that tobacco was safe or that the

>hazards had been exaggerated.[26] Millions of Americans were led to

>believe that cigarettes were satisfying, sexy, and safe.



In the late 30s, both my parents smoked. They quite before I was born in 

1951. I don't know the precise year, but a doctor told my dad if he wanted 

to live (he's now 89) he'd better quit smoking. My mother gave it up to 

support my Dad. She's long-dead of breast cancer, but nothing we could 

point to could connect with smoking.



But, please, we knew it was satisfying and sexy, but I don't think anyone 

in the 60s (that I knew at least) thought it was safe, just worth the risk 

to be satisfied and sexy.



Weren't cigarette commercials banned from TV in 1971? Didn't the U.S. 

Surgeon General issue a report as early as 1964?

non scholarly web page that hopefully had these dates correct: 

http://www.tvacres.com/tobacco.htm



When my Dad found out I had smoked at a party, he told me to go into my 

closet, inhale deeply and keep doing it. He made me go back and do it some 

more until I practically heaved. He made his point. It wasn't cool.



Anyway, I can't believe people thought it was safe. Nice sugar coating, 

etc., but I think anyone with a double-digit IQ wouldn't believe it was safe.



Cheers,



Richard 





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