How to Break a National Habit

The demise of America’s cigarette addiction has been greatly exaggerated.

Fifty years ago, the smoking rate in the United States began a long and steady decline, which has rightly been hailed as a profound health advance. But by declaring a “successful” campaign against cigarettes—and the devastation they have wrought—we are celebrating victory with the enemy still among us.

Kenneth Warner is a professor of public health at the University of Michigan and Harold Pollack is a professor of social-service administration at the University of Chicago. This Chartist is derived from a longer article by the authors, available at theatlantic.com/smoking.

Presented by

Kenneth E. Warner

Kenneth Warner is a professor of public health at the University of Michigan.

Harold A. Pollack

Harold Pollack is a professor of social-service administration at the University of Chicago and a fellow of the Century Foundation.

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