CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
A new set of graphic public service announcements on smoking's dangers was released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new ads are a follow-up to last year's "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign.
Last March, the CDC unveiled the $54 million campaign in billboards, print, TV and radio ads that showed people whose lives were changed by smoking.
The new ads will run 12 weeks beginning April 1 in all media formats, and are funded by the Affordable Care Act.
Federal health officials wanted to capitalize on the success of last year's campaign, which the CDC said led to a doubling in calls to the government phone number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW and a five-fold increase to the website, smokefree.gov.
"This campaign is saving lives and saving dollars by giving people the facts about smoking in an easy-to-understand way that encourages quitting," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, said in a statement. "This campaign is effective. The increase in calls to quitlines after last year's campaign shows that more people are trying to quit smoking as a result of these ads."
Despite the widespread dissemination of ads about smoking's dangers, one in five U.S. adults smoke, according to CDC. About 90 percent of them started before they were 18, and many have experienced life-changing health effects. More than 440,000 Americans die each year because of smoking-related diseases, and for every one death, there's 20 more people living with a disease caused by smoking, the CDC said.
"The Tips From Former Smokers campaign shows the painful effects of smoking through former smokers, in a way that numbers alone cannot," said the CDC's director, Dr. Tom Frieden.
Just how graphic are the new ads in the campaign? Keep clicking to see the videos...
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Bill
Bill has diabetes and used to smoke, but smoking made his condition worse, leading to kidney failure, blindness in one eye and a leg amputation. The 40-year-old from Michigan started smoking when he was 15 years old.
"It was a stupid thing I wish I could take back," said Bill.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Ellie
The 57-year-old from Florida never smoked, but suffered an asthma attack caused by secondhand smoke when she was bartending at age 35. She felt she had no choice but to quit the job she loved after getting advice from her doctor.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Jamason
Eighteen-year-old Jamason was diagnosed with asthma as an infant, but experienced his worst attack as a 16-year-old when he worked at a fast food restaurant when his coworkers went out for a smoke break. He was hospitalized for four days.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Mariano
Mariano, 55 of Illinois, had quadruple bypass surgery at age 47. He called his 2004 surgery a "wake-up call" to get him to quit smoking.
"I was given a second chance to live," he said in the video, presented in Spanish.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Michael
Michael is in his 50s and started smoking when he was only 9 years old. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD after ignoring symptoms for years.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Nathan
Nathan has never smoked cigarettes, but for 11 years he worked at a casino that allowed smoking. The secondhand smoke has caused the 54-year-old permanent lung damage.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Terrie
Terrie is back in the latest round of ads (she showed people her morning routine of putting in her teeth, wig and artificial voice box in last year's campaign), this time revealing the only voice her grandson has ever heard from her is through the hands-free device she uses, because her voice box was removed before he was born.
CDC unveils latest graphic anti-smoking ads in 2013 "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign
Meet Tiffany
Tiffany, 35, of Louisiana has been smoke-free since January 2012. She smoked cigarettes even though her own mother died of lung cancer when she was 16. When Tiffany's daughter turned 16 last year, she decided to quit for good.
To see more ads, visit the CDC's Tips From Former Smokers website.