The Cigarette Machine That Created a Global Cancer Epidemic

In the late 19th century, a machine that could roll 200 cigarettes per minute was invented, making cigarettes cheap and widely available for the first time. Before this, lung cancer was an extremely rare disease that doctors might see once in their entire careers. After mass production took off, cigarette smoking exploded in popularity and lung cancer rates followed suit. By the 1960s, researchers confirmed that cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, including at least 70 known carcinogens. Today, cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death, killing about 480,000 Americans each year.