New York State Department of Health Launches New Smoking Cessation Campaign Featuring Two New Yorkers

Campaign Features Real-Life Health Challenges of Former Smokers as they Urge Others to Quit Smoking

Videos are Available in English and Spanish

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 20, 2024) – As part of its annual smoking cessation promotion campaign, the New York State Department of Health is airing two ads from the CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) national campaign: Tips from Former Smokers, Noel's Tip and Marlene's Tip. In these ads, New Yorkers share stories about how tobacco use has devastated their lives.

The TV and online video campaign encourages people using tobacco to quit. The campaign features two former smokers from New York and the serious health challenges they now face. Noel suffered a heart attack at just 36 years old and Marlene developed macular degeneration, both caused by their addiction to tobacco.

"These personal stories send a powerful message about the damage smoking can do to your body and the devastating impact it can have on one's self and family," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "I strongly encourage those who smoke to seek support to quit. There are free resources available to help you through the process."

Noel's story is part of the 2024 CDC campaign. He started smoking at a young age and used menthol-flavored cigarettes. The heart attack had a long-lasting impact on his health. Learn more about Noel here. Marlene's story is part of an earlier CDC campaign and tells how she endures regular treatment for an eye disease called macular degeneration in a visually graphic way. Learn more about Marlene here.

Each video encourages people who smoke to quit by getting help from the New York State Quitline. Tobacco users can also contact their doctor or other healthcare providers for treatment and medications to help them overcome their nicotine addiction.

Using medications, such as nicotine patches and lozenges, plus counseling, can double the chances of successfully quitting. Medicaid, Medicare, and other health insurance plans cover treatment from a doctor, including brief counseling and FDA-approved medications that help manage symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

For New Yorkers who want to quit smoking, e-cigarettes/vaping, or using any tobacco product, the New York State Quitline provides free, personalized and confidential evidence-based support, including information, tools, and quit coaching, in both English and Spanish, with resources for those who are not insured.

Services are available by calling 1-866 NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) or texting 'Quit Now' to 333888.

To chat online with a Quit Coach, or to sign up for Learn2QuitNY, a six-week, step-by-step text messaging program to build the skills needed to quit any tobacco product including e-cigarettes/vaping, visit nysmokefree.com.

The New York State Quitline also offers the Learn2QuitNY program in Spanish and can be accessed by texting DéJELO YA NY to 333888 or visiting nysmokefree.com/TEXTO.

For help with quitting e-cigarettes/vaping, young people, ages 13-24, can text "DROPTHEVAPE" to 88709 to join This is Quitting, a free and anonymous texting support program that is part of the Ex-Program. Parents can text "QUIT" to 202-899-7550 to receive daily advice to help youth quit. Visit truthinitiative.org/exprogram to learn more about this program. Both programs were developed by the Truth Initiative®.

Decades of studies show that hard-hitting and visually graphic advertising campaigns that accurately depict the negative consequences of tobacco use, like this campaign, dramatically reduce smoking initiation by youth, motivate adult smokers to make quit attempts, increase calls to health care providers for treatment and to the New York State Quitline for quit assistance, and reduces relapse among former smokers.

For more information about the effectiveness of evocative media campaigns, see Frequently Asked Questions About the Tips ® Campaign on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Information about the Department's Tobacco Control Program is available here.