On Jan. 21, 1982, C. Everett Koop was appointed U.S. Surgeon General by President Ronald Reagan. In 1984, Dr. Koop reported that there was “very solid” evidence linking cigarette smoke to lung disease in non-smokers.

After a 35-year career as an internationally acclaimed pediatric surgeon, during the 1980s C. Everett Koop turned a federal office with a minimal budget and staff, the office of the U.S. Surgeon General, into the most authoritative platform from which to educate the nation on matters of health promotion, disease prevention, and emerging health threats.