Final answer:
The Surgeon General's report on cigarette smoking as the cause of cancer was based on over 7,000 research studies, supporting the criterion for causality called 'Consistency'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fact that the Surgeon General's report on cigarette smoking as the cause of cancer was based on over 7,000 research studies supports the criterion for causality called 'Consistency'.
This means that multiple studies have consistently shown a strong association between smoking and cancer, strengthening the evidence for a causal relationship.
For example, the American Cancer Society conducted longitudinal studies that provided early scientific demonstrations of the link between smoking and cancer.