CDC Seeking Former Smokers for New Campaign

August 28, 2013

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reached out to the AARC to help find former smokers who would be willing to share their experiences through a new advertising campaign called Tips From Former Smokers.

The CDC is specifically looking for former smokers with certain medical conditions, including lung cancer, along with people who have lost a family member to a smoking-related disease such as COPD, heart attack, lung cancer, and others.

The government agency is particularly interested in recruiting Asians or Spanish speaking individuals. Volunteers will be compensated for participation ($2500 plus travel expenses to the filming location). The deadline to apply for the Tips From Former Smokers campaign is Oct. 21.

“If you or someone you know qualifies for this campaign, it would be a relatively easy way to ‘pay it forward’ and potentially touch the lives of many people for the better,” says Jonathan Waugh, PhD, RRT, RPFT, FAARC, chair of the AARC’s Tobacco-Free Lifestyle Roundtable. “Who knows, you might even influence members of your own family.”

The CDC has produced fliers in English and Spanish that you can use to get the word out to those who may qualify. “Please help spread the word by distributing the provided flyers, but remember that your encouragement will have even more impact,” says Dr. Waugh. “Thank you for considering this new sharing effort to help others make healthy changes.”