​Surgeon General Reports

In 1964, Luther Terry, MD, Surgeon General of the US Public Health Service, released the nation's very first Surgeon General's Report on tobacco. This landmark report concluded that smoking cigarettes is a cause of lung cancer, and the most important cause of chronic bronchitis. This report sparked much conversation, and went on to be labeled one of the top news stories of 1964. 

While significant progress has been made in the fight against tobacco, there is still a long road ahead. New technologies are being discovered each day, and those technologies play into making tobacco products more appealing and readily available. The Surgeon General plays a vital role in keeping the public informed of the health consequences of tobacco, and of the harm these new products can cause. 

Recent Reports 

2020: Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General 
In January 2020, the US Surgeon General released a new report on smoking cessation. The report outlines latest research on smoking cessation treatments, including counseling and medication. The report also serves as a “call-to-action” to ensure that cessation treatments are accessible to people who need them. 

• Executive Summary  
• Full Report  
• Consumer Guide  
• Related Resources  

2016: E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults 
In December 2016, the first Surgeon General Report on electronic cigarettes was released. The report detailed the rapid increase in use of e-cigarettes among youth and young adults, explored the health effects of use and exposure and suggested evidence-based interventions to protect youth. 

• Executive Summary 
• Full Report 
• "Know the Risks" website 
• Public Service Announcement 

2014: The Health Consequences of Smoking— 50 Years of Progress 
In January 1964, the first Surgeon General Report about the health effects of tobacco was released. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Surgeon General office have prepared some information and resources to commemorate this event and help spread the message Dr. Terry worked to convey 50 years ago. 
 
The report highlights major accomplishments in tobacco prevention and control over the past 50 years, presents new data on the health consequences of smoking, and discusses scenarios that can potentially end the tobacco epidemic in the United States. 

• Fact Sheet: Overview of Key Findings from The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress Report 
• Consumer Booklet: Let's Make the Next Generation Tobacco-Free: Your Guide to the 50th Anniversary Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health 
• Social Media- follow the conversation using the hashtag #SGR50 or follow @Surgeon_General on Twitter. 

2012:  Preventing Tobacco Use among Youth and Young Adults  
This report, focused on youth and young adults, discusses the sensitivity of young people to the addictive nature of nicotine, and how industry marketing makes that happen- including use of tobacco imagery in the media. 

• Fact Sheet: English
• Consumer Booklet: Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: We Can Make the Next Generation Tobacco Free 
• For more information on how the tobacco industry uses media techniques to hook youth, visit  Smoke-free Movies. 
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For more Surgeon General reports on tobacco, visit the Surgeon General Reports 
website.