Newsroom
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 smoke. 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 CDC media office at 404.639.3286; or email media@cdc.gov.
Press Release and Advisories
2024
- February 5, 2024: CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers® Launches New Ads to Encourage People to Quit Smoking
2023
2022
- August 9, 2022
Statement from Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, Director, CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on the passing of Tonya Moore, Tips From Former Smokers® participant - February 28, 2022
CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers® Campaign Returns With Powerful New Ads
2021
2020
- August 27, 2020
CDC’s Tips® campaign led 1 million U.S. adults to quit smoking during 2012–2018 - April 7, 2020
Statement from CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD on the passing of Michael Patterson, Tips From Former Smokers ad participant - March 23, 2020
CDC’s successful Tips From Former Smokers campaign returns on March 23
2019
2018
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 - 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
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
Images and Photos
2020 Tips Photos
Media Campaign Resource Center
The Media Campaign Resource Center (MCRC) provides free and low-cost tobacco education campaign materials to support communication efforts of the tobacco control community.
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.
Overviews of Diseases / Conditions
Learn the facts about the smoking-related diseases and conditions featured in the campaign.