Back in the day, almost everyone smoked cigarettes. Tobacco profits were instrumental in the growth of the original 13 colonies, and on into the 20th century, tobacco companies helped found hospitals, universities and other grand institutions. Even doctors as late the 1950s touted the benefits of cigarettes. Then came the groundbreaking warning from the U.S. Surgeon General in 1964 that . . . cigarettes are bad for your health! A few years later, in 1971, cigarette commercials were banned on American TV.
Thanks to YouTube, we can watch some of these commercials that today seem absurd, with doctors smoking in hospitals, cartoon characters taking smoke breaks and more. Sit back and enjoy 10 bizarre cigarette commercials. Please remember that smoking is not allowed in the theater.
