"Slaves to Tobacco".

• Position: PAIRING A PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCE

A century before the U.S. Surgeon General's landmark report about the dangers of smoking, some Americans were already concerned about its health effects. The editorial below was written in 1867 by George William Curtis, editor of the popular Harper's Weekly political magazine. Curtis himself had been a smoker until the 1850s. Read Curtis's editorial, along with the article about smoking on page 18. Then answer the guestions that follow, citing evidence from the texts to support your responses.

Reformatory efforts of the most persevering character have been brought to bear upon smokers, chewers, and snuff-takers without the least effect. Notwithstanding prohibitory laws, enormous taxation on the growth and sale of the terrible vegetable narcotic, its use has extended over the globe. The savaged and the Christianized philosopher, the king and the peasant, are alike slaves to tobacco. Neither the denunciations of His Majesty James I of England or a Sultan of Turkey threatening to burn out the eyes with the hot ashes of his subjects who should smoke the hateful weed, which he resolved to drive from his dominions, ever checked its onward progress. Writers, philanthropists, lecturers, learned physicians, and men and women of all orders have reasoned against it, appealed to the common-sense of the people, [pled] with their friends, and fought...