CDC says graphic anti-smoking ads work, more on the way (USA Today)

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 12-week ad campaign aimed to get 500,000 people to try to quit smoking and 50,000 quit long-term has been so successful that it’s planning another round next year. “The initial results suggest the impact will be even greater than that,” said Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. There is no tally yet on how many did try to quit, but the ads generated 192,000 extra calls—double the usual number—to its toll-free quit line and 417,000 new visitors to smokefree.org—triple the regular traffic. This is the first time the U.S. government has paid for anti-smoking ads. Some argue the ads are too shocking and provocative.