The Evolution of Tobacco Use and Control in the United States: An Interview with Dr. John Farquhar

Abstract

Dr. John Farquhar begins the interview by describing the history and evolution of tobacco use in the United States, in particular the technological advances contributing to the explosive increase in tobacco consumption and the various phases documenting the rise and decline of smoking. Subsequently, Dr. Farquhar explains the effectiveness of tobacco control policies, the type of evidence that was influential in generating public awareness about smoking as a health risk, the effect of community-based interventions, the effect of the environment on smoking patterns, the role of governmental health plans and insurance corporations within the antitobacco movement, reimbursement for smoking cessation treatments, and lessons for Japan's campaign against smoking. One of Dr. Farquhar's main points throughout the interview is the significance of a professional community's leadership in educating the general public. Although the availability of scientific data generated awareness among physicians and scientists, the actions of health professionals were instrumental in creating policies and setting an example for the community as a whole.