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TRENTON
-Testing completed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
Services' Public Health Originally set to debut last week, the Department
of Health and Senior Services starting airing this week its new
fall broadcast advertising campaign encouraging New Jersey smokers
to quit. The campaign marks the first time that New Jersey's no-
and low-cost quit services - New Jersey Quitnet (nj.quintet.com);
New Jersey Quitline (1-866-NJ-STOPS) and New Jersey Quitcenters,
face-to-face counseling clinics - are being promoted on television.
"In
New Jersey, we have among the best roster of quitting services in
the nation, and it is critical that we get this important information
to all the smokers in our state," said Health and Senior Services
acting Commissioner George T. DiFerdinando, Jr., MD. "Our comprehensive
approach is currently helping thousands of smokers to stop for good,
and we want to spread the news. These commercials will help us to
deliver the strong message that help is at hand."
Spirited
animation, lively music and colorful graphics distinguish the three
commercials in the innovative "You Have Enough Things Telling
You" campaign, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health
and Senior Services (DHSS). The 30-second spots convey the thoughts
of, for instance, a smoker's dog, coffee table and heart ("If
you don't quit, I will"), and end with acting Governor Donald
T. DiFrancesco's reminder: "You have enough things telling
you to quit smoking. We'll just tell you how."
"Two
out of three New Jersey smokers want to stop smoking. We also know
that it can take a number of attempts before smokers succeed in
their goal. We want people to know that they have a variety of approaches
to meet their individual needs," said Dr. DiFerdinando.
The
commercials can be seen on major network shows in the New York,
New Jersey and Philadelphia area, including Good Morning America,
Regis and Kelly, The View, Soul Train and Entertainment Tonight,
as well as during fall premieres, such as Dharma & Greg,
NYPD Blue, The Weakest Link, E.R. and Saturday Night Live.
Additionally,
the quit services are being promoted for the first time with 60-second
radio spots, which had always been set to start airing September
17. The radio commercials will have the same theme as the TV spots.
New
Jersey Quitnet, www.nj.quitnet.com,
is a FREE innovative online resource that provides comprehensive,
individually tailored smoking cessation options, peer support, and
access to the advice of trained counselors. Registered New Jersey
Quitnet users can access an array of quitting guides to help plan
a quitting strategy, referrals to local programs, and information
about optional treatments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
New
Jersey Quitline, 1-866 NJ-STOPS (1-866-657-8677), offers toll-free
telephone counseling in 26 languages Monday through Friday from
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trained counselors
work with callers at every stage in the quitting process, developing
treatment plans that meet the needs of the individual.
New
Jersey Quitcenters, the latest addition to New Jersey's customized
smoking cessation services, are counseling clinics with services
available on a sliding fee scale according to income. They are currently
located at 15 sites throughout the state. People can call NJ Quitline
or log onto NJ Quitnet to find a location near them.
Baseline
studies have shown that smoking kills 13,000 New Jersey residents
annually and related medical costs in the state are approximately
$2.6 billion per year, according to the national Campaign for Tobacco
Free Kids. About 18 percent of New Jersey adults (over 18) smoke;
nearly 19 percent of all high school students smoke daily. Nearly
40 percent of high school students smoke at least once a month.
According
to the latest Federal Trade Commission Report, tobacco marketing
efforts by the tobacco industry reached a record high of $8.24 billion
in 1999 (the year after the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement)
- or $22.5 million daily and a 22 percent increase over the prior
year.
New
Jersey's Quit services are just one of many initiatives sponsored
by the Department of Health and Senior Services and funded with
money from the Master Tobacco Settlement Agreement between 46 states
and the tobacco industry. New Jersey is one of only 15 states that
are directing a substantial portion of these funds -$30 million
- toward smoking prevention and cessation. New Jersey's Comprehensive
Tobacco Control Program is designed to reduce the sickness, disability
and death among New Jerseyans associated with the use of tobacco
and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
The
approximately $2.4 million advertising campaign was developed for
the Department of Health and Senior Services by BBDO in Minneapolis.
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