Press Releases

January 11, 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health, the landmark report that linked smoking to lung cancer and heart disease for the first time. The report drew heavily from findings in the American Cancer Society-funded Hammond-Horn study, the first large-scale study that examined the effect of cigarette smoking on death rates from cancer and other diseases.

In the 50 years since the release of the report, the smoking rate has been cut in half and the country has made strides in curbing the burden of disease and death caused by tobacco. While today’s smoking rate has dropped to 19 percent, there are still 44 million smokers nationwide, and more than 3,000 kids in the U.S. smoke their first cigarette each day. Tobacco is still the number one preventable cause of death claiming the lives of more than 443,000 Americans this year. The use of smokeless and other tobacco products is on the rise, particularly among youth.

As the nation recognizes this anniversary and the progress the country has made to save lives, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) – the non-profit advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society – is calling on states to make further progress by enacting and strengthening tobacco control policies.  Evidence shows what works in tobacco control: comprehensive smoke-free laws, significant, consistent increases in tobacco taxes and fully-funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

VISUAL ELEMENTS include:

• John R. Seffrin, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), discusses the historical importance of the Surgeon General’s report, the progress the country has made on tobacco prevention and cessation efforts and where the country can go next
• B-roll of U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry addressing press conference at release of the 1964 Report on Smoking and Health. The Advisory Committee which compiled the report is seated behind podium.
• John R. Seffrin, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), delivers state-specific sound bites on tobacco use for the following states: California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas

SATELLITE COORDINATES

WHAT:                50th Anniversary of U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health

WHEN:                Thurs, Jan 9, 2014 at 1:00 – 1:15pm and 4:00 – 4:15pm EST

COORDINATES:   Galaxy 17 Transponder 13 CH A (KU Digital) D/L: 11946.5 Horizontal,

FEC ¾, Symbol Rate: 6.1113, Data Rate: 8.448, Aspect Ratio 16x9, Audio Rate: 6.2/6.8

CONTACT:          Joy Cameron at 202-544-8400

Video provided by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).