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Promising start to Government's new mass media stop-smoking campaign

Commentingon the launch of the Government's new mass media campaign to help smokers quitthe habit, ASH's Research Manager, Amanda Sandford said:"We know that mass media campaigns can be very effective in helping people to change lifestyle behaviour but you need to spend serious amounts of money and that money has to be well spent. This is the biggest anti-smoking campaign ever mounted by a UK Government: the £50 million to be spent over three years is at least four times greater than we've ever seen before."

Surveyshave shown that 70% of smokers want to quit.[1] This new advertising campaign is designed to reinforce smokers' resolve to stop smoking. "This campaign looks as though smokers will find it supportive and not threatening," said Amanda Sandford.

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Notes to the editor

[1] Freeth, S. Smoking related behaviour and attitudes, 1997. Department of Health, 1998
The survey found that of the 70% of smokers who wanted to quit, 47% said they very much wanted to give up. One third had tried to give up three times or more in the past five years.

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