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SOTC Tobacco Timeline

1954 - 1966

 1968 - 1987

 1988 - 1993

 1994 - 2000

 2002 - 2006

 2007 - 2009

Throughout a decades-long battle against tobacco use, the American Lung Association has had its share of milestones.

1954: Richard Doll and A. Bradford Hill, publish an article in the British Medical Journal that confirms the link between smoking and lung cancer. 

1961: The American Lung Association, along with its public health partners, write to President Kennedy, highlighting the increasing evidence of the health hazards of smoking and urging him to establish a commission to address the problem.  This letter led to the publishing of the landmark Surgeon General's report in 1964.

1964: The first Surgeon General's report on smoking is published. Called Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, this report recognized the proven link between smoking and lung cancer. 

1966: Health warnings first appear on cigarette packs in response to congressional legislation.  The warnings read, "Caution--cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health."

1968: Philip Morris introduces the Virginia Slims brand. With its iconic "You've come a long way baby" ad campaign targeting women.

1975: The Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act goes into effect. This is the first statewide law in the nation that requires separate smoking areas in public places.

1984: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves nicotine gum as the first drug designed to help people quit smoking. 

1986: The 19th Surgeon General's report on The Health Consequences of Involuntary Smoking is published. This report first officially acknowledged and emphasized the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

1987: Congress bans smoking on domestic flights of less than two hours. Takes effect in 1988.

1987:

  • Aspen, Colorado becomes the first city in the United States to require smokefree restaurants.
  • The RJ Reynolds tobacco company debuts the Joe Camel character in its U.S. advertisements.  This cartoon character hooked millions of kids on Camel tobacco products.

1988: California voters approve Proposition 99, which increased the cigarette tax by 25 cents and dedicated some of the revenue to create the first comprehensive statewide tobacco control program in California. It was also the first time a state dedicated proceeds from tobacco taxes to help prevent and stop smoking. The American Lung Association was instrumental in the passage of this proposition, and subsequent support for the California Tobacco Control Program.

1988: Tobacco Free America (American Lung Association, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society) publish State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues.  This document tracked tobacco control policies - like tobacco taxes, smokefree air laws, and tobacco control program funding - for every state.

1989: A bill spearheaded by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Rep. Dick Durbin (D-IL) passed Congress banning smoking on all domestic airlines. The American Lung Association was one of the public health groups leading efforts to pass this law.

1990: San Luis Obispo, California becomes the first city in the world to eliminate smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants.

1993: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders.  The report concludes that secondhand smoke is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year in nonsmoking adults and impairs the respiratory health of hundreds of thousands of children.

1994: Seven tobacco company executives testify before Rep. Henry Waxman's (D-CA) congressional committee that they do not believe nicotine is addictive. 

1995: In response to a letter from the American Lung Association and its public health partners, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asserts jurisdiction over tobacco products by declaring nicotine a drug.  President Clinton approves this proposal in 1996, giving the agency authority to regulate cigarettes as a "drug delivery device."

1996: American Lung Association assumes responsibility for publishing State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues.  This record is still maintained and updated, and is available at www.slati.lungusa.org.

1998:

  • California becomes the first state in the nation to eliminate smoking in bars. This law, along with the law eliminating smoking in restaurants and most other public places, makes California the first state to pass a comprehensive statewide smokefree air law.  The American Lung Association was one of the organizations leading the campaign for this law.
  • Attorneys General from 46 states and the tobacco industry reach the landmark Master Settlement Agreement to reimburse state government for tobacco-related health care costs.  The billions of dollars were supposed to be used to prevent smoking and help people quit, unfortunately states have used the majority of this money for other, unrelated purposes. 

1999:

  • The U.S. Department of Justice announces it is suing the tobacco industry under the RICO statute – the same statute used to prosecute the Mob – claiming the tobacco industry engaged in a "coordinated campaign of fraud and deceit."
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases the first edition of Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. This document details how state tobacco control programs should be structured to best prevent smoking and help smokers quit. It also recommends minimum funding levels at which each state can best run these programs.

2000: The U.S. Supreme Court rules in a 5-4 decision that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could not assert authority over tobacco products without being given the power to do so by Congress.   Efforts turn to Congress to pass legislation.

2002:

  • The result of advocacy work led by the American Lung Association, Delaware's statewide smokefree law goes into effect.  Delaware was the first state in four years to pass a smokefree law, and this event was the catalyst for many other states to go smokefree in the 2000's. 
  • The American Lung Association releases the first edition of the State of Tobacco Control report.  This report, available at www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org, tracks progress on key tobacco control policies at the state and later the federal level and assigns grades to state laws and regulations.  It is released annually in January.

2004: The United States signs the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Treaty, which is the world's first tobacco control treaty and establishes international guidelines for countries to implement and control tobacco use and addiction.  The treaty has not yet been sent to the U.S Senate for ratification.

2005: After over a year of court proceedings in the U.S. Department of Justice's suit against the tobacco companies, the Department announced that it was reducing the amount of remedies it was seeking in the case by billions of dollars.  Six major public health groups, including the American Lung Association, intervene in the lawsuit to advocate for stricter remedies to preclude future tobacco industry wrongdoings.

2006:

  • The Surgeon General releases The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. The report said unequivocally that the "debate is over" – secondhand smoke in any form at any level is harmful to health.
  • The American Lung Association launched its Smokefree Air Challenge, urging all states and the District of Columbia to pass comprehensive smokefree laws that protect people and workers from secondhand smoke.
  • Judge Kessler releases her final ruling in the U.S. Department of Justice's federal suit against the tobacco companies.  She finds that the tobacco industry had lied for 50 years and deceived the American public on health issues and marketing to children.

2007:  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates the Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs refining the evidence-based recommendations effective tobacco control programs to prevent and reduce tobacco use.

2008:

  • The U.S. Public Health Service releases an important update to its Guideline on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence.  This guideline contains recommendations for doctors on how to help their patients quit using tobacco, and recommends the use of 7 medications and 3 types of counseling to help people quit.
  • The American Lung Association launches its State Tobacco Cessation Coverage Database, which tracks what each state covers to help smokers quit.  This database, available at www.lungusa.org/cessationcoverage is the only comprehensive, up-to-date source for information on coverage of cessation treatments for Medicaid recipients, state employees, and privately insured people.

2009:

  • President Obama signs legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products.  Tobacco products are now no longer exempt from basic oversight.
  • Michigan, South Dakota and Wisconsin pass comprehensive smokefree laws, bringing the total of smokefree states to 26 + the District of Columbia, and putting the country over halfway towards the accomplishing the Lung Association's Smokefree Air Challenge.