From googling the first major study was released in 2000. Before that the connection to brain damage was known.
Was it discussed at all, even though it wasn’t proven?
I’m going to guess, yes.
What we did NOT have was a libertarian media push to make all social problems have simple and cheap solutions that don’t require changing the fundamental relationship between government and capitalism, in which these little factoids play prominent roles.
70s child here - we cleaned stuff in gasoline, washed our hands with it after getting greasy. My dad soaked charcoal briquets in it for 15 minutes and then dumped it all onto the pile of charcoal …threw a match. In the late 80s we started to hear all about the bad stuff. Oh yeah people either dumped their old motor oil down the storm drains or like my dad burying it in a hole in the yard. “Goes back to the earth that way son”.
Was everyones sense of smell just completely fried from all the cigarettes?
Basically yes
“It disperses into the local ground water and people’s wells and drinking water, son.”
The impossible dream of flamable drinking water eventually came true dad!
Wipes away tear
The social science college courses I took in the 80’s credited dropping crime rates to availability of abortion and birth control, not removal of lead from gasoline.
They’re all factors from what I’ve read.
