--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By the way, what happened to our surgeon…" description: "\"By the way, what happened to our surgeon general who warned us about AIDS and smoking? That position has been completely stripped of power.\" — Laurie D..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/laurie-david-4810_power_by-the-way-what-happened-to-our-surgeon_2211940.png" --- # By the way, what happened to our surgeon general who… ![“By the way, what happened to our surgeon general who warned us about AIDS and smoking? That position has been completely stripped of power.” quote by Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/laurie-david-4810_power_by-the-way-what-happened-to-our-surgeon_2211940.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/laurie-david-4810_power_by-the-way-what-happened-to-our-surgeon_2211940.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/laurie-david-4810_power_by-the-way-what-happened-to-our-surgeon_2211940.png) > “By the way, what happened to our surgeon general who warned us about AIDS and smoking? That position has been completely stripped of power.” [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The health authority's power was removed after controversial warnings. **In simple terms:** Health warnings lost influence. Key Takeaway Question authority when power shifts. Themes public health politics media Mood skeptical concerned Type political media When to use this quote - policy debates - media coverage - public health campaigns Key Concepts censorship government accountability public trust Questions to Reflect On - Should experts retain influence despite politics? - What safeguards protect whistleblowers? A Different Perspective Power dynamics can silence critical voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Smoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking/) ## Related quotes > [To be completely stripped bare of any image power or my hair. To step onstage and get the response that I got blew any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-etheridge/to-be-completely-stripped-bare-of-any-image-power-or-my-hair-to-step/) [Melissa Etheridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-etheridge/) > [Well, the responsibility of the surgeon general is to make sure that the public has access to science and access to it in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/well-the-responsibility-of-the-surgeon-general-is-to-make-sure-that/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I think people align themselves with my way of thinking when they're talking to me. They try to create new avenues for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-rolle/i-think-people-align-themselves-with-my-way-of-thinking-when-they-re/) [Myron Rolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-rolle/) > [I really think the most important thing I do is to protect the dignity and the integrity of the Office of the Surgeon General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-really-think-the-most-important-thing-i-do-is-to-protect-the/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [When I went through my confirmation hearing to serve as surgeon general they asked me what my priorities would be and I didn't list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-i-went-through-my-confirmation-hearing-to-serve-as-surgeon/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [A grateful world, nation and cadre of surgeons general who followed in his shadow are forever indebted to Surgeon General Koop's wisdom, fortitude, integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/a-grateful-world-nation-and-cadre-of-surgeons-general-who-followed-in/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [I've had opportunities before to run for office - the Republicans recruited me when I was surgeon general, to run for Congress, to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-ve-had-opportunities-before-to-run-for-office-the-republicans/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [C. Everett 'Chic' Koop became U.S. Surgeon General under President Reagan. He was a world renowned pediatric surgeon who had a tumultuous Senate confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/c-everett-chic-koop-became-u-s-surgeon-general-under-president-reagan/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [When I came home after my statutory term as surgeon general, I just resumed my life here in southern Arizona. Teaching at the university;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/when-i-came-home-after-my-statutory-term-as-surgeon-general-i-just/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [The overarching issue, really, is our surgeon general should be able to communicate transparently and honestly with the American public on all issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/the-overarching-issue-really-is-our-surgeon-general-should-be-able-to/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [When I began my tenure as surgeon general, I did not intend to focus on emotional well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-i-began-my-tenure-as-surgeon-general-i-did-not-intend-to-focus/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [As 17th U.S. Surgeon General, I was privileged to serve as the nation's doctor. I focused much of my time on promoting proven programs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/as-17th-u-s-surgeon-general-i-was-privileged-to-serve-as-the-nation-s/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [A lot of people have misconceptions about what the surgeon general does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/a-lot-of-people-have-misconceptions-about-what-the-surgeon-general/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I do not intend to use the Surgeon General's Office as a bully pulpit for gun control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-do-not-intend-to-use-the-surgeon-general-s-office-as-a-bully-pulpit/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## More by Laurie David > [Food is being purposefully formulated to addict you.Then it is purposefully marketed, targeted to young children to addict them at an early age. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/food-is-being-purposefully-formulated-to-addict-you-then-it-is/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Fear of failure, what is that? It would never occur to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/fear-of-failure-what-is-that-it-would-never-occur-to-me/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [If you take added sugar out of your diet, when you have fruit for dessert it is going to taste fantastic!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/if-you-take-added-sugar-out-of-your-diet-when-you-have-fruit-for/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [You can love someone and not be able to live together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/you-can-love-someone-and-not-be-able-to-live-together/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Scientists speak a certain language. Now there are regular extreme weather reports on the news. Hurricane Katrina was a huge connect-the-dot moment for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/scientists-speak-a-certain-language-now-there-are-regular-extreme/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Rush Limbaugh criticizes me a lot on the air. I take that as a badge of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/rush-limbaugh-criticizes-me-a-lot-on-the-air-i-take-that-as-a-badge/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [A big part of the challenge is teaching your kids how to have a real conversation, not a texting conversation. If they're not sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/a-big-part-of-the-challenge-is-teaching-your-kids-how-to-have-a-real/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [There was no social media really when 'Inconvenient Truth' came out. I wish we had Twitter and the power of that to help get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/there-was-no-social-media-really-when-inconvenient-truth-came-out-i/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [In some other life I must have been a pioneer woman because I love to have my hands in the dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/in-some-other-life-i-must-have-been-a-pioneer-woman-because-i-love-to/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [I want everyone else to become a global warming activist so it's not all on my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/i-want-everyone-else-to-become-a-global-warming-activist-so-it-s-not/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [You don't necessarily know you're consuming sugar when you're using store-bought salad dressing, or store-bought tomato sauce, or healthy granola bars. It's added to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/you-don-t-necessarily-know-you-re-consuming-sugar-when-you-re-using/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [I'm very average. I'm into fresh, yummy family food. I'm into leftovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/i-m-very-average-i-m-into-fresh-yummy-family-food-i-m-into-leftovers/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [It's easy to get good table talk going if you have a little help in the form of questions, games, newspaper articles, books with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/it-s-easy-to-get-good-table-talk-going-if-you-have-a-little-help-in/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Growing up, I didn't have great family dinners. We sat down every night, and my mother cooked food, but it was always about who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/growing-up-i-didn-t-have-great-family-dinners-we-sat-down-every-night/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Get your friends together, even if it's just once a week or twice a month, and make dinner together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/get-your-friends-together-even-if-it-s-just-once-a-week-or-twice-a/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) [Explore all 106 Laurie David quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) ## More Power quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [Politics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) [Browse all 17,893 Power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By the way, what happened to our surgeon general who warned us about AIDS and smoking? 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