Latest images launched from the CDC's campaign to get Americans to quit smoking are disturbing, alarming and heartbreaking.
The campaign ad features images of former smokers who had to pay the cost of smoking in some of the worst ways such as gum disease, illnesses in offspring, tracheotomies, strokes and finally, cancer.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a campaign to motivate the 42 million people in America who smoke to kick the habit. The "Tips from Former Smokers" campaign is one in a series of campaigns produced by the CDC since 2012 to curb smoking.
The "tips" go along with shots of seven former smokers and the consequences they faced as a result of smoking. They will be seen on television, in print, online, on billboards, in cinemas and will be heard on the radio. The campaign will soon include a social media aspect as well.
The CDC received 100,000 additional calls to its quit line, 800-QUIT-NOW, in February following its last campaign. In 2012, an estimated 1.64 million Americans tried to quit because of the campaign. An estimated 6 million concerned nonsmokers helped their family and friends understand the dangers of smoking. In light of this data, officials remain optimistic that this ad, which really does pull at the heartstrings, will produce similar, if not better, results.
The ad will be released nationwide on July 7, and will see a nine-week run. The televised ad will be in English and in Spanish.
One of the participants in the ad, Amanda, smoked a pack a day until she found out she was pregnant. Her baby spent her first weeks in an incubator.
Another participant, Brett, says in the ad, "My wake-up call was losing most of my teeth."
For Brian, that wake-up call was a stroke. For Felicita, it was gum disease. Rose was diagnosed with lung cancer, Shawn now has a hole where his larynx once was, and Terrie, who courageously fought both oral and throat cancer, passed away in the fall of 2013 soon after filming the ad.
Each of these people shared messages to help others see the urgency and necessity of quitting. Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S. There are over 480,000 smoking-related deaths a year, and for every death, there are 30 people with a smoking-related illness.
The CDC says, "The only proven strategy to protect yourself from harm is to never smoke, and if you do smoke or use tobacco products, to quit."
