Surgeon General's Warning: There is no safe tobacco product. The use of any tobacco product " including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and spit tobacco; mentholated, "low-tar," " naturally grown," or "additive free" " can cause cancer and other adverse health effects. This one of the many warnings that appears on a pack of cigarettes, yet more women are lighting up each year. In fact in 2000, 29.7 percent of high school senior girls reported having smoked within the past 30 days. (Surgeon General's report: Women and Smoking). The habit of smoking is caused by the addiction of the chemicals and the social aspects.
Smoking started back in the 1400's with Native Americans smoking plant leaves in a pipe. Settlers started smoking soon after that by using crop leaves. They also sold them and used it as a cash crop. In the 1600's smoking became part of the European culture. Most tobacco was consumed in pipes and cigars or a snuff (finely pulverized tobacco inhaled into the nostrils). (www.encarta.Msn.com) In the early 20th century smokers used 1,000 cigarettes per capita per year in the United States and in some European Countries. The general attitude about smoking was that it relieved stress and caused no harmful side affects to the person. During World War II (1939-1945) American physicians endorsed sending solders tobacco, and cigarettes were included in ration field kits of the United States Armed Forces until 1975. (www.encarta. Msn.com) .
Soon epidemiologists started to notice that lung cancer was increasing in the 1930's. Before that lung cancer was very rare. The American Cancer Society did studies comparing deaths among smokers and non-smokers over a period of many years. Every single study showed that death was increased in smokers from both cancer and other causes. In addition studies also showed that the chemicals in cigarettes are carcinogenic, which is an agent causing cancer. In 1962 the government was concerned enough about the issue to appoint a team of scientist to study all available evidence on the affects of smoking.