retroblog

The Surgeon General's 1964 Report on Smoking and Health

[Published January 11th, 1964, by Luther Terry, Surgeon General]

Smoking and nicotine administration cause accute cardiovascular effects similar to those induced by stimulation of the autonomic nervous system, but these efffects do not account well for the observed asssociation between cigarette smoking and coronary disease. It is established that male cigarette smokers have a higher death rate from coronary disease than non-smoking males.

[Published January 11th, 1964, by Luther Terry, Surgeon General]

Smoking and nicotine administration cause accute cardiovascular effects similar to those induced by stimulation of the autonomic nervous system, but these efffects do not account well for the observed asssociation between cigarette smoking and coronary disease. It is established that male cigarette smokers have a higher death rate from coronary disease than non-smoking males. The association of smoking with other cardiovascular disorders is less well established. If cigarette smoking actually caused the higher death rate from coronary disease, it would on this account be responsible for many deaths of middle-aged and elderly males in the United States. Other factors such as high blood pressure, high serum cholesterol, and excessive obesity are also known to be associated with an unusually high death rate from coronary disease. The causitive role of these other factors in coronary disease, though not proven, is suspected strongly enough to be a major reason for taking countermeasures against them. It is also more prudent to assume that the established association between cigaretter smoking and coronary disease has causitive meaning than to suspend judgement until no uncertainty remains.