Pre-1970's

Date Summary Information
1854 1st USA patent for FSC Not for FSC but for cylindrical metal attachment which might be used for cigarettes
1917-19 US in WWI Boost in cigarette usage
1929 Rep. Rogers involved Cigarette-ignited fire in Lowell MA caught attention of Edith Norse Rogers (D-MA); she called for NBS to develop technology for "self-snubbing" cigarette
1932 NBS develops method for FSC NBS developed method for FSC; Boston Herald American story about Edith Nourse Rogers' efforts for a FSC
1941-45 US in WWII Another bigger boost in cigarette usage
1950 Readers Digest article Reader's Digest article "So You Want to Burn to Death!"; CA fire marshal suggests self-extinguishing cigarettes
1952 A McGuire's burn injury Burned when bathrobe ignited at the stove on his seventh birthday
1957 Link: smoking and cancer Surgeon General Leroy Burney says that official US position is that there is a link between smoking and cancer
1957 PM has FSC clue Philip Morris employee suggests paper bands to self-extinguish cigarettes if not puffed upon
1958 Tobacco Institute Tobacco Institute incorporated
1961 PM explores FSC Philip Morris briefly explored flame-retardants for cigarettes
1962 Cohn patent Charles Cohn receives first of many patents for FSC - adding silicate to paper (read link)
1964 Surgeon General's Report Surgeon General Luther L. Terry (1961-1965) issues Smoking and Health, the first report to receive widespread media attention
1970 Banning of cigarette ads on radio and TV The Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act passes Congress; bans ads on TV and radio; requires annual report on the health effects of smoking