U.S. - new national smoking cessation public service ad campaign..

March 4, 2010 - The New York state Department of Health, in conjunction with the American Legacy Foundation and the Ad Council, has launched a new national smoking cessation public service ad campaign. Sponsored by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation, the "EX" campaign aims to help 46 million Americans — including 2.5 million New Yorkers — quit smoking.

With "re-learn life without cigarettes" as its slogan, the EX campaign has launched three public service announcements, one to be aired on the radio and two to be run on television.

The campaign has three strategies for helping smokers to: re-learn their thinking on the behavioral aspects of smoking and how different smoking triggers can be overcome with practice and preparation; re-learn their knowledge of addiction and how medications can increase their chances of quitting; and re-learn ideas of how support from friends and family members can play a critical role in quitting.

The EX campaign also has a Web site, www.BecomeAnEX.org, for smokers to develop a virtual community.

Reference: State launches new smoking cessation ad campaign by Smita Bhooplapur, LegislativeGazette.com, 3/1/2010.