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Invention of the Cigarette Machine
In September of 1880, James Bonsack created the first ever cigarette-rolling machine, which used a special blade that cut the cigarettes to a uniform length. -
America Fights in WW2
During WW2, American soldiers received cigarettes with their rations, further pushing the agenda that cigarettes are healthy. These cigarettes were used by soldiers to barter for local goods, and without even realizing it, these soldiers were advertising American tobacco to other nations, tapping in to a new potential demographic. -
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Doctors Promote Cigarettes
All throughout the 1950s, smoking was common among health professionals and was typical inside of the doctor's office. At the time, cigarettes were marketed as a health product, and there are hundreds of advertisements that depict medical professionals using cigarettes. This was so common at the time that it was not crazy for health professionals to use cigarettes while on the clock, or even when diagnosing patients. The video just before is an example of an ad that would run on television. -
Big Tobacco Admits Defeat
In the early 1990s, big tobacco began facing big lawsuits regarding their false advertisement of cigarettes and their denial of any adverse health effects. After litigation against multiple large tobacco companies, Philip Morris was forced to release documents revealing evidence that linked their products to cancer risk. Below is a link to a 1994 trial that includes the testimonies of the CEOs of the 7 largest American tobacco companies at the time, infamously referred to as, "the 7 dwarves". -
1994 "Seven Dwarves" Testimony
