It was exactly 58 years ago on Tuesday that the U.S. Public Health Service released a report linking cigarette smoking to cancer. Spearheaded by Surgeon General Luther Terry, the document was based on 7,000 articles that warned about the negative health impacts of tobacco.

Today, the groundbreaking report is considered the nation's first punch in its ongoing battle against nicotine use. Before then, cigarettes were a mainstay of American society and tobacco advertisements adorned the nation's billboards, airwaves and television screens. Many claimed there were no negative health impacts associated with the habit.