CDC Says New Anti-Smoking Campaign Is a Success
Published at(ATLANTA) — Smokers get lots of advice on how to kick the habit: Try nicotine gum. Go cold turkey. But maybe the key to quitting is in those shocking ads that aim to disturb viewers into putting down the pack? A new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the results are promising.
In a report issued this week, CDC researchers said the 12-week campaign “Tips from Former Smokers” may have led 100,000 Americans to quit smoking for good.
The campaign used national TV commercials, radio print and other media to show off real-life former smokers in gritty ways, with their health problems on graphic display.
It was the first federally-funded national anti-smoking media campaign. At $54 million, it was not cheap.
But health experts say since cigarettes cause nearly five million preventable deaths worldwide each year, these scary ads could be a bargain.
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