The history of the tobacco industry goes back to the founding of the United States.  Farmers throughout the South grew tobacco and sold the product domestically and exported it to the United Kingdom.  In the 20th century, tobacco continued to be a dominant industry as most adults in the United States used tobacco products.  In the mid-1900s, scientists began to discover that tobacco and the chemicals in tobacco had adverse health effects, including the cause of lung disease and cancer.  In the 1980s, the United States Surgeon General revealed exactly how harmful and addictive tobacco could be.

On this day, May 16th, in 1988, the Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, declared nicotine as addictive as heroin and cocaine.  While it was known that nicotine had addictive qualities, grouping the everyday substance with hard drugs was significant.  Koop’s report marked one of the first instances where the accepted stance on tobacco, and the tobacco industry, was directly challenged.  In addition to informing the public about the seriousness of nicotine addiction, Koop also mandated that cigarette packs and cigarette advertising to include warning labels.

The Surgeon General’s report and warning label rules had a dramatic effect on the tobacco industry. As a result of Koop’s effort and a general increase in the dangers of smoking, a notable percentage of Americans reduced their smoking habits.  For example, in 1965, more than 50% of men were smokers, while in 1990, the percentage was closer to 30%.  Cigarette sales started to slowly decline in the 1990s and more so into the 2000s.  In order to supplement for declines in the American market, the tobacco industry began to target developing countries throughout the world.