On Sunday 11 June 2023, Cancer Council WA’s Make Smoking History Program will re-run the newly WA-made campaign, ‘Sounds Like’, which asks people to listen to their bodies for the sounds and signs to quit smoking.
Those that smoke will be all too familiar with the health impacts in the advertisements, which range from smoker’s cough to bleeding gums. These common concerns may lead to life-long consequences, like severe breathlessness or loss of teeth.
Hospitalisations due to tobacco use continue to burden the health system, with costs of approximately $126.6 million in 2018-2019 alone.
Even though tobacco smoking rates are declining, tobacco is still the largest cause of preventable death and disease in Australia, so it is important that we are not complacent.
The good news is, as soon as an individual quits smoking, the body starts to repair itself. Becoming a non-smoker is the single most important thing someone can do for their health.
There are more benefits too, like saving money and protecting loved ones from second-hand smoke. When someone quits, they’re setting themselves up for more quality time with the people they love most.
The new campaign focuses on the earlier health impacts of smoking including smoker’s cough, wheezing, breathlessness, and gum disease. When talking to focus groups of people who smoke, we found they wanted to hear how the warning signs they have right now can affect their quality of life in the future. We hope our cast of people from varying ages, genders, backgrounds, and lifestyles across the advertisements will resonate with as many people as possible.
The confronting, yet realistic, sounds and visuals in the advertisements will encourage people who smoke to stop, listen and notice the damage smoking is doing to their bodies. The campaign aims to motivate people to quit smoking and seek further support by visiting the Make Smoking History website, where they can access a range of quit resources and tools.
Find out more
It’s never too late to quit. Get started today:
- Visit makesmokinghistory.tips for all the best tips to quit and stay quit
- Try our free, interactive quit planner
- Download the free My QuitBuddy app
- Chat to your GP, Aboriginal Health Worker or Pharmacist
- Call the Quitline on 13 78 48 or chat online at quitlinewa.org.au