Washington, D.C., American Lung Association Chapter Launches Anti-Smoking Campaigns Targeting Blacks, Hispanics

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 02 Oct 2008 - 7:00 PST

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The American Lung Association of Washington, D.C., has launched two "flashy antismoking campaigns in two very different directions": one in English that targets blacks and one in Spanish that targets Hispanics, the Washington Post reports. Both campaigns include ads that attempt to prompt smokers to call the ALA QuitLine, where they can obtain nicotine patches, lozenges and counseling to help them quit.

The campaign targeted at blacks features former National Football League player Darrell Green, who warns that cigarettes contain "250 deadly poisons" and says in a taped message to callers that their decision to call QuitLine demonstrates "wisdom and strength." The campaign targeted at Hispanics includes a print advertisement that features a "dramatically anthropomorphized vision of smoking itself" -- a cloud of smoke that forms the "gloating face of a devil" -- and a television ad that "will chill anyone who remembers the Marlboro Man," the Post reports.

Debra Annand, director of the ALA project that launched the campaigns in July, said, "These are the populations that have the highest rates of smoking, and of tobacco-related health" problems -- "particularly in the Medicaid and underserved population."

Partly as a result of the campaigns, the number of calls to the QuitLine has increased from 350 in 2006 to 1,400 last year to 2,000 this year, and 70% of callers take steps to attempt to quit smoking, Annand said (Szokan, Washington Post, 9/30).

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