The 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s were a wild time for shoppers—innovation was booming, advertising was as persuasive as ever, and safety regulations were questionable.
A steady stream of questionable products marched into people’s homes, led by a never-ending loop of bold claims and catchy jingles. From doctors endorsing cigarettes to radioactive toys, some of the popular products back then would be downright illegal by today’s standards.
Let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and look at some of the most bizarre products from those golden decades.
Cigarettes Were What the Doctor Ordered
Believe it or not, doctors once endorsed smoking. The ‘30s saw a dip in sales amid growing health concerns, so the tobacco industry responded with doctors’ recommendations to win back consumers.
Ads highlighted the amazing benefits of smoking. They claimed it soothed the throat, relieved stress, and even helped with digestion. “Valid” studies backed these claims, of course.
And of course, the research was all funded by tobacco companies.
One of the most famous marketing campaigns from the ‘50s era showed a man in a white physician’s lab coat, happily puffing away. The slogan read: “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!”
Reality Check: By the 1960s, the link between smoking and lung cancer could no longer be ignored. The first Surgeon General’s warning came in 1964, and by the ‘70s, all ads with smoking doctors had disappeared.
Diet Pills and Fat-Melting Belts
Modern dieting fads have nothing on the diet pills of the ‘50s and ‘60s that were laced with amphetamines. They were marketed as quick and easy weight-loss solutions, failing to disclose the dangerous side effects: addiction, heart disease, psychosis.
If you weren’t popping special speedy pills to lose weight, then you were likely putting your faith in the vibrating belt machine. The point of these devices was to shake the fat so hard it magically melted away.
Spoiler—It didn’t work.
Fun Fact: These machines were sold into the ‘80s, despite having no concrete evidence of actually aiding weight loss.
Lead-Based Makeup—Because, Why Not?
For an embarrassingly long time, makeup, hair dye, and even face paint for children were loaded with lead. Some lipsticks were even infused with radium.
One of the most popular products at the time was hair dyes containing lead acetate. It gradually darkened hair over time but could also gradually poison you.
Crazy but True: Lead was also in household paint and baby cribs. Regulators only cracked down in the late ‘70s, after a whole generation had already suffered prolonged exposure.
Asbestos… in Everything
Asbestos was used everywhere—literally. Oven mitts, hair dryers, insulation inside the home, car brakes, and even some types of clothing.
At the time, asbestos was praised for being some kind of miracle material resistant to heat. The long-term effects, however, were nothing short of devastating.
By the time the ‘70s rolled around, asbestos exposure was linked to serious cases of lung disease and cancer. The long latency period (20-50 years) means that those exposed decades ago may only start showing symptoms now.
Reality Check: Asbestos litigation is one of the longest-running mass torts in U.S. history.
Lawn Darts—A Game of Skill and ER Visits
If you were a kid in the ‘60s and ‘70s, you probably remember lawn darts, also known as Jarts. They were essentially missiles, spear-tipped and about a foot long, intended for outdoor fun.
Reality Check: Lawn darts weighed over a pound each, and could crack an adult’s skull if thrown hard enough. Before finally getting banned, the game of lawn darts sent over 6000 people to the emergency room.
Accountability in Innovation
Many of these obviously dangerous products were advertised as the next big thing, only for the grim truth to emerge years later. Although we’d like to think that things have changed, consumers face similar battles today.
The transvaginal mesh lawsuit is a recent example of the consequences when a widely used product fails to deliver on its promise. Once hailed as a medical breakthrough, vaginal mesh was designed as a surgical implant to treat pelvic floor disorders, like Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP).
Device failure or malfunction results in harrowing symptoms, including erosion of the pelvic tissue, acute pain, and severe infections. According to TorHoerman Law, the sheer volume of lawsuits reflects the ongoing debate in the medical community about the actual efficacy of a transvaginal mesh implant.
The Takeaway?
If there’s anything the golden decades have taught us, it’s to proceed with caution no matter how convincing a product’s marketing may be.
Thanks to advancements in product testing, safety regulations, and consumer protections it’s less common for dangerous products to slip through the cracks. So here’s to innovation, and appreciating life in an era where safety takes priority over spectacle.