The distribution of cigarettes first began in World War I and World War II to soldiers. In the 1940s and early '50s, cigarette smoking became more commonplace due to advertising. Cigarette ads usually featured people of a higher class or soldiers and groups laughing and having fun. People were also permitted to smoke anywhere they wanted, including nurse stations in hospitals, salons, barbershops, cafes and the grocery store.
In the beginning, nobody knew about the connection between smoking and cancer. However, in 1982, the Surgeon General issued the first report on smoking and health announcing that, "Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the United States." Today we know even more. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking can also cause stroke, heart disease, emphysema, bronchitis and premature death.
