Responses to our question, “Should marijuana be a medical option?”
The first Surgeon General of the United States was appointed and confirmed in 1871 (then called Supervising Surgeon). According to surgeongeneral.gov, the duties of the Surgeon General are to “protect and advance the health of the Nation through educating the public, advocating for effective disease prevention and health promotion programs and activities…” and to “articulate scientifically based policy analysis and advice to the President and Secretary of Health and Human Services.”
Surgeons General are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Several “acting” Surgeons General (who do not require a Senate confirmation) have been assigned the position when an official Surgeon General resigned or the Senate stalled confirmation of a Surgeon General candidate. The chart below only includes official Surgeons General who were confirmed by the Senate. |
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2017-Present Jerome Adams (appointed by President Donald Trump) |
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2014-2017 Vivek Murthy (appointed by President Barack Obama) |
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2009-2013 Regina M. Benjamin (appointed by President Barack Obama) |
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2002-2006 Richard H. Carmona (appointed by President George W. Bush) |
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2002-2006 David Satcher (appointed by President Bill Clinton) | |||||||
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1993-1994 M. Joycelyn Elders (appointed by President Bill Clinton) |
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1990-1993 Antonia C. Novello (appointed by President George H.W. Bush) |
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1982-1989 C. Everett Koop (appointed by President Ronald Reagan) |
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1977-1981 Julius B. Richmond (appointed by President Jimmy Carter) |
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1969-1973 Jesse L. Steinfeld (appointed by President Richard Nixon) |
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