In 1959 Reader's Digest ran subway ads promoting an article called "The Growing Horror of Lung Cancer", which is likely the article being referred to in the episode
This is due to the nicotine inside the cigarettes which, according to Livestrong, causes your veins and arteries to constrict, meaning your heart has to work harder than usual to pump the blood around your system. A healthy heart will beat 60 to 100 times per minute, and for a smoker, the heart can beat 10 to 25 beats faster per minute, according to Discovery Health
The packaging material of hard packs provides superior protection to cigarettes, unlike soft packs
He does, however, feel rather guilty about it
Other ads sported the slogan below an image of a womans face on a presidential campaign button or on Mount Rushmore