The first Surgeon General's report on smoking marked the smoking of cigarettes as the central cause of cancer of the larynx and lungs, as well as the cause of numerous other health conditions (Warner 5). This report got mass amounts of media attention to the point where almost every American had either read about it or heard of the news. Due to the media attention, a massive shift in the public perception of smoking occurred rapidly. Along with this, the report paved the way for action at the national level to reduce the health burden of tobacco products (Adams 1).

This report made it incredibly hard for the tobacco companies to use their previously successful marketing techniques as the public knew with certainty the harms of smoking. There was no way for any further manipulation about the harms of smoking, and no way to distract the public perception.