Nation Wong/Zefa/Corbis

Good Housekeeping banned cigarette advertising in 1952, 12 years before the surgeon general of the United States issued a report on the health hazards of smoking. And it's quite extraordinary that, as far back as May 1928, Dr. Harvey Wiley, who was then founder and director of the Bureau of Foods, Sanitation, and Health at the Good Housekeeping Institute (and before that, champion of the Pure Food and Drug Act in Washington), cautioned readers that "cancer of the lips, tongue, and throat is much more prevalent among men than among women. I consider this due to the use of tobacco, particularly smoking."

Eighty-one years later we certainly know that what Dr. Wiley said is true. Tobacco use is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths per year in America, and medical experts are well aware of its link to lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, emphysema, and other health conditions. And in addition to the hazards posed by secondhand smoke, just recently physicians from MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston used the term "thirdhand smoke" to describe the toxic chemicals and gases that cling to smokers' hair, clothing, and carpet and linger long after a smoker has left the room.

There has been an outcry from some organizations and individuals against this landmark legislation because they are opposed to governmental interference in the lives of everyday citizens. Yet governmental regulation of tobacco use is not an insult to the intelligence of Americans, as some bloggers are arguing. Measures to protect the health and safety of adults and children have long proven to be effective, as in the mandating of seat-belt use. In 2008, it was reported that, partly due to high-visibility law-enforcement efforts, more Americans (83%) buckled up than ever before; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about 270 lives are saved for every 1% increase in seat-belt use. And it was government's promotion of the polio vaccine that helped the disease to be virtually eliminated in the United States.

Dr. David Abrams, an addiction expert formerly at the National Institutes of Health, has been quoted as saying, "It's more difficult to get off nicotine than heroin or cocaine." Who among us doesn't know someone who has struggled (and, often, failed) to kick the cigarette habit? By signing the Tobacco Bill, President Obama has enabled the government to ensure that tobacco products are less addictive for those who continue to use them and to protect children who are vulnerable and at risk for a lifetime of health consequences. We all know the dangers of tobacco use. It's now time to act.

Miriam Arond Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute How long she’s been at GHI: Since October 2007 What she does: Miriam leads a staff of engineers, chemists, nutritionists, and other experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

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