U.S. campaign adds 333,333 years of life

An estimated 1.6 million smokers attempted to quit smoking because of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Tips From Former Smokers” national campaign, according to a CDC press note describing the results of the campaign.

“As a result of the 2012 campaign, more than 200,000 Americans had quit smoking immediately following the three-month campaign, of which researchers estimated that more than 100,000 will likely quit smoking permanently,” according to the press note issued through PRNewswire/USNewswire.

“These results exceed the campaign’s original goals of 500,000 quit attempts and 50,000 successful quits.”

The study was said to have surveyed thousands of adult smokers and nonsmokers before and after the campaign.

“Findings showed that, by quitting, former smokers added a total of about a third of a million years of life to the U.S. population,” the CDC said.

The Tips campaign, which aired from March 19 to June 10, 2012, was the first time a federal agency had developed and placed what it referred to as “paid advertisements for a national tobacco education campaign.”

“Ads featured emotionally powerful stories of former smokers living with smoking-related diseases and disabilities,” the press note said.

“The campaign encouraged people to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a toll-free number to access quit support across the country, or visit a quit-assistance website.”