The year 2004 celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the publication of the
first Surgeons General’s Report on Smoking. ‘‘Smoking and Health,’’ was
presented to the public on January 11, 1964. It documented that ‘‘cigarette
smoking is the most important of the causes of chronic bronchitis in the
United States and increases the risk of dying from chronic bronchitis and
emphysema... .’’
Ever since then, a new Surgeon General’s report has appeared almost
annually. The most recent report—still titled ‘‘Smoking and Health’’—was
presented on May 27, 2004, by Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona. It
revealed for the first time that smoking causes diseases in nearly every organ
of the body, not just the lungs and heart.