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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Marion Billings, MSc¹, David Egilman, MD, MPH², and Tiana Owens¹. (1) Never Again Consulting, 8 N. Main St. #404, Attleboro, MA 02703, 508-226-5091, marion@egilman.com, (2) Department of Community Health, Brown University, 8 N. Main St. #404, Attleboro, MA 02703

For decades, the tobacco industry has defended itself against product liability lawsuits by claiming that individuals made a “choice” to smoke, and that they are fully responsible for any resulting health problems because they should have been aware of risks that were “common knowledge.” To support their claim that the dangers of smoking were commonly known by the 1950s, the tobacco industry often quotes a 1954 Gallup poll which indicated that 90% of Americans had heard or read that “cigarette smoking may be a cause of cancer of the lung.” Yet what they fail to mention is that only 41% said they actually thought that “cigarette smoking is one of the causes of lung cancer,” and when asked “in what way do you think cigarette smoking is harmful?” only 5% responded, unaided, with “lung cancer.” Certainly having heard of the “controversy” over smoking and health is substantially different from having the specific knowledge and personal belief that smoking causes cancer. The Gallup Organization itself has complained of this misuse of its polls; however the tobacco industry continues to misuse them in current product liability litigation. Throughout the 20th century, the tobacco industry endeavored to mold public knowledge and attitudes about smoking. Now, faced with ever-changing public opinion, the industry has largely abandoned its claim that cancer is not caused by smoking. Instead, it is manipulating the public's memory through the testimony of hired historians who claim that the risks of smoking have been common knowledge for over half a century.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and discuss the ways in which the tobacco industry has attempted to revise history regarding the public's awareness of smoking and health issues.
• Recognize the ways in which the tobacco industry has tried to shape different types of information for use in its defense against litigation and tobacco control advocates.

Keywords: Tobacco Litigation, Tobacco Industry

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered