Oh? I’ve only heard the “lung cancer” side of the story for decades; it’s not like we’ve been saturated with a “cigarettes are good for you” message in the media.
Funny enough, the Amish cultivate and smoke their own tobacco but have extremely low incidences of any type of cancer.
Yes, the dangers of smoking have been known for a long while. Even back in the 1940s cigarettes were called “coffin nails”.
But that was countered (at least to some extent) by the advertising put out by the amoral cigarette companies. Smoking is cool. And cigarettes are refreshing.
A wise person would see through all that. But the typical 18-year-old kid? Maybe not so much.
I get that it’s a free country. No one forced anyone else to smoke. That doesn’t let the cigarette companies off the hook. IMHO.