This health site dared defend smoking, pointing out that sugar is probably far more dangerous. Fascinating.
The post educated me about the anti-smoking hysteria of 1917.
80 years ago, in 1917, the nation was going through one of its periodic bouts of anti-tobacco madness. Then, as now, the focus was on children, but in 1917, “children” were referred to as “boys”. Then, as now, medical doctors were beginning to threaten smokers with dire consequences, including, but not limited to, blindness, tuberculosis, and “tobacco heart”. Then, as now, surgeons were beginning to ask patients whether they smoked as a part of the preparation for surgery, and insurance companies were asking prospective clients whether they smoked. Ten years later, the madness had passed and the country was happily smoking again.
Here is a funny 1917 anti-smoking ad.
