Newsroom
ShareCompartir
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®), the national tobacco education ad campaign featuring real people living with the effects of smoking-related diseases or exposure to secondhand. The Tips campaign began in 2012 as the first national campaign sponsored and funded by a federal agency with the goal of educating the public about the harmful effects of smoking and encouraging quitting. The commercials in the Tips campaign show how smoking-related illnesses have forever changed the lives of everyday people.
To receive more information, or to arrange an interview with a subject matter expert, call the Office on Smoking and Health press line at 770.488.5493; or email media@cdc.gov.
For additional information tailored for journalists, please see CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers Digital Press Kit, which includes resources, multimedia, and quotes from experts.
Press Release and Advisories
2017
- January 9, 2017
Tips From Former Smokers®: landmark anti-smoking campaign begins sixth year January 9
2016
- March 24, 2016
Impact of first federally funded anti-smoking ad campaign remains strong after three years - January 21, 2016
Powerful new ads mark the 5th year of the successful “Tips From Former Smokers” campaign
2015
- March 26, 2015
Powerful new “Tips From Former Smokers” ads focus on living with vision loss and colorectal cancer - January 9, 2015
Statement from CDC Director Tom Frieden on the passing of Rosemary V. Hernandez, former Tips From Former Smokers ad participant
2014
- December 10, 2014
CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign provided outstanding return on investment - August 8, 2014
Statement from Tim McAfee, Director, CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health on the passing of Bill Busse, former Tips From Former Smokers ad participant - June 24, 2014
New hard-hitting “Tips From Former Smokers” ads to air this summer
2013
- October 18, 2013
Statement from Tim McAfee, Director, CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health on the passing of Nathan Moose, former Tips campaign ad participant - September 19, 2013
2013 Tips From Former Smokers campaign generates 150,000 calls to quitlines and 2.8 million website visits - September 17, 2013
Statement from CDC Director Tom Frieden on the passing of Terrie Hall, former Tips From Former Smokers ad participant - September 9, 2013
More than 100,000 Americans quit smoking due to national media campaign
(En Español: Más de 100,000 personas en los Estados Unidos dejan de fumar gracias a campaña nacional en los medios de comunicación) - May 23, 2013
Campaign encourages smokers to “Talk With Your Doctor” for help quitting - March 28, 2013
Education campaign returns with powerful stories to help Americans quit smoking (En Español: Campaña educativa regresa con historias impactantes para ayudar a las personas en los Estados Unidos a dejar de fumar)
2012
- April 2, 2012
Calls to quitline hit record high after CDC national tobacco ad campaign launch - March 15, 2012
CDC ad campaign reveals harsh reality of smoking-related diseases
Tips-related Publications and News
- September 20, 2013
MMWR: Impact of a National Tobacco Education Campaign on Weekly Numbers of Quitline Calls and Website Visitors — United States, March 4–June 23, 2013 - September 9, 2013
The Lancet: Effect of the First Federally Funded US Antismoking National Media Campaign (free to view, but registration is required)
Images and Photos
Tips 2016 Photos
Photo of Brian – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 34KB ]
Brian, age 60, Texas; had his first heart attack at age 35
Photo of Rebecca – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 27KB ]
Rebecca, age 57, Florida; diagnosed with depression at age 33
Tips 2015 Photos
Photo of Julia – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 36KB ]
Julia, 58, Mississippi; diagnosed with colon cancer at age 49
Photo of Kristy – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 31KB ]
Kristy, 35, Tennessee; tried e-cigarettes to quit regular cigarettes but ended up using both
Photo of Mark – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 31KB ]
Mark, 47, California; diagnosed with rectal cancer at age 42
Tips 2014 Photos
Photo of Amanda – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 38KB ]
Amanda, 30, Wisconsin; smoked during pregnancy and had a premature baby
Photo of Brett – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 31KB ]
Brett, 50, New Mexico; smoked and lost most of his teeth to gum disease
Photo of Brian – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 40KB ]
Brian, 45, California; had a stroke triggered by smoking combined with HIV
Photo of Rose – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 22KB ]
Rose, 59, Texas; diagnosed with lung cancer that spread to her brain. Rose passed away in January 2015.
Tips 2013 Photos
Photo of Bill – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 47KB ]
Bill, 40, Michigan; diagnosed with diabetes; had other health problems, too. Bill passed away in August 2014.
Photo of Ellie – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 38KB ]
Ellie, 57, Florida; had asthma attack triggered by secondhand smoke at 35
Photo of Jamason – [ JPEG, 267x400px, 34KB ]
Jamason, 18, Kentucky; had asthma attack triggered by secondhand smoke at 16
Photo of Mariano – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 47KB ]
Mariano, 55, Illinois; had open heart surgery at age 47
Photo of Nathan – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 40KB ]
Nathan, 54, Idaho; had severe lung damage from secondhand smoke exposure. Nathan passed away in October 2013.
Photo of Terrie – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 37KB ]
Terrie, 52, North Carolina; diagnosed with oral and throat cancers at 40. Terrie passed away in September 2013.
Photo of Tiffany – [ JPEG, 400x267px, 47KB ]
Tiffany, 35, Louisiana; quit smoking at 34; smoke-free since January 2012
Tips 2012 Photos
Photo of Annette – [ JPEG, 200x286px, 73KB ]
Annette, 57, New York; diagnosed with lung cancer at age 52
Photo of Brandon – [ JPEG, 200x292px, 71KB ]
Brandon, 31, North Dakota; diagnosed with Buerger’s disease at age 18
Photo of Shawn – [ JPEG, 154x251px, 55KB ]
Shawn, 51, Washington State; diagnosed with throat cancer at age 46
Photo of Shawn – [ JPEG, 586x198px, 101KB ]
Shawn, 51, Washington State; diagnosed with throat cancer at age 46
Download Center
CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign materials are available without cost. Visit the Download Center to learn more about the parameters and restrictions on their use.
Matte Articles
Pre-written matte articles ready for adaptation and use by journalists, bloggers, or other members of the media about the Tips from Former Smokers campaign.
Tips Campaign Matte Article for the General Public: CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers Campaign Airing a New Round of Hard-Hitting Commercials
Tips Campaign Matte Article for African Americans: CDC Continues Tips From Former Smokers Campaign
Tips Campaign Matte Article for American Indian/Alaska Natives: CDC Continues Tips From Former Smokers Campaign
Tips Campaign Matte Article for Asian Americans: CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers Campaign Engages Asian Americans
Tips Campaign Matte Article for Faith Communities: Faith Leaders Unite in Support of CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers Campaign
Tips Campaign Matte Article for Hispanics/Latinos: Emotional Ads Show Smoking’s Toll in Hispanic and Latino Families
Tips Campaign Matte Article for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Communities: Emotional Ads Show Smoking’s Toll in LGBT Communities
Overviews of Diseases / Conditions
Learn the facts about the smoking-related diseases and conditions featured in the campaign.
- Page last reviewed: January 17, 2017
- Page last updated: August 1, 2017
- Content source: