Anyone who believes tobacco got its bad name only in the latter part of the 20th century should visit Coffin Nails: The Tobacco Controversy in the 19th Century, a fascinating history of the tobacco controversy drawn from the pages of Harper’s Weekly from 1857 to 1912. It shows that, as early as 1862, tobacco addiction was a recognized problem, with various “cures” offered to users. In 1867, the editor of Harper’s Weekly identified the three major health dangers of tobacco use as cancer, heart disease and lung disease.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.