[speekinout]

If anyone knows of any info about when trhe American public became generally aware of cigarettes causing cancer,

I don't have a URL, but I know that my father (who smoked) called them "coffin nails" and "cancer sticks" as early as the '40s. The warning notes showed up on packs around 1960.

It was never a secret.

[Dr.Hilarious]

Your experience resembles mine with my father, too. It always amuses me to see people getting on their high horses and damning cigarette execs, and for not taking "the experts" at their word and simply shutting down the tobacco industry. As the link provided explains, there was no hard scientific evidence until the 50's, really, but that didn't stop people from knowing it was bad for you.

When I was a little kid, I thought "Why would I put smoke where air is supposed to go?" I didn 't need The Government to tell me smoking was something I didn't want to pursue. Now I eat too much red meat--I guess we're going to damn the meatpacking industry for not coming to my house and regulating my diet?