Smoking and Lung Cancer

I recently read a book, Selling Death, looking for historical information on lung cancer as it pertains to cigarette smoking. The book was written almost 50 years ago by Thomas Whiteside. It is about tobacco advertising, cigarette smoking and public health as well as human diseases including lung cancer. Thomas Whiteside was outspoken on controversial current issues, a man before his time with regard to the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.

Prophetically, Cigarette Smoking is now attributed as the #1 cause of lung cancer world-wide.

Cigarette Advertising 1971 & Now

In 1970 the year before TV and radio cigarette advertising was banned in the USA, the tobacco industry spent $215 million on advertising. By 1971 magazine advertising had doubled with a huge increase in ads for cigarettes after the ban.

In 2014 tobacco companies (worldwide) spent $8.49 billion in cigarette advertising. 5 U.S. companies spent $600.8 million which indicates the massive profits to be made selling cigarettes. The groups targeted by advertising are youth, young adults, women and some ethnic minorities.

"[...] it is impossible to look for self-regulation by the cigarette industry over its advertising
and promotional practices." (Pg 6)

Cigarette Industry - Ethics & Morals?

Advertisements quoting doctors, specialists, stating they choose to smoke a certain brand of cigarettes were common in the 1950's and 1960's. Video Doctors Prefer Camel Cigarettes 1949 TV advertisement in the days of self-regulation by the tobacco industry.

"Before you smoke. THINK:
Cigarettes Cause Lung Cancer"

U.K Ministry of Health poster (1950's) - "Selling Death"(pg 13)

Cigarette smoking initiates a disease process by producing progressive irreversible damage.
~ "Selling Death" (pg 141) and,

Cigarettes & Your Health

Diseases ... Then

"Between 1935 and 1962, deaths from lung cancer in the U.S. rose from 4,000 to 41,000 ... and is still about 10 times what it was in the mid-thirties." (pg 9)

"It is plain that huge fortunes have been and are being made by tobacco companies [...] at the cost of immense human suffering, a great deal of which could have been prevented [...] (Pg 6)

The simple truth is cigarette smoking is not only harmful, it can be fatal to your health.

and Now ... Health Concerns (2017)

Lung cancer is not the only health concern from smoking as it also causes other diseases, such as:

COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Can worsen the effects of asthma
Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
Increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes connection
Female fertility problems and premature births
Loss of vision and macular degeneration with age
Other cancers: bladder (Pg 149) cervix, colon, Esophagus (Pg 148), kidney (pg 149), larynx (Pg 148), liver, Lip and oral (Pg 148), pancreatic and stomach cancer

212,584 people in the United States were diagnosed with lung cancer,
including 111,907 men and 100,677 women.*†

156,176 people in the United States died from lung cancer,
including 85,658 men and 70,518 women.*†
2013 Lung Cancer Statistics - Centre for Disease Control

What Chemicals are in your Cigarettes

"Experts say that cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 different compounds. A significant number of them are toxic (poisonous) and can damage our cells and many of them are carcinogenic (cause cancer). If you've ever wondered exactly what you might be breathing in when you inhale cigarette smoke, this list is a real eye opener." Quote from Medical News today. Check this link for a list of some of the carcinogenic chemicals used in making cigarettes.

US Health Warning Labels

The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965:

1967 - "Warning: Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Health and May Cause Death from Cancer and Other Diseases."

In 1981 the FTC issued a report to Congress that concluded health warning labels had little effect on public knowledge and attitudes about smoking. As a result of this report, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act of 1984 (Public Law 98–474), which required four specific health warnings on all cigarette packages and advertisements:

Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.
Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.
Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Birth Weight.
Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.
Information taken from Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (archived)

Canada Health Warning labels (bilingual)

WARNING
CIGARETTES CAUSE LUNG CANCER
85% of lung cancers are caused by smoking
80% of lung cancer victims die within three years

To summarize, the statistics are available for all to see but for many of our aging population it may be too late. For those of you who still have a choice - stop smoking. Don't believe the hype as there is nothing positive about cigarette smoking for you and those around you. Finally, the best single thing you can do for your health is give up cigarette smoking.

Time for a change?

There is nothing satisfying or sexy about dying from lung cancer ~ L.G.