The Don’t Be Silent About Smoking campaign was originally launched in February 2008 with ads appearing in medical journals and websites, magazines and newspapers across New York State. The ads featured striking images of healthcare providers with their mouths stitched or taped shut to dramatize the importance of clinicians talking to their patients about smoking.
The campaign was unusually successful in reaching and getting the attention of busy doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Those who had seen the ads were significantly more likely to ask patients about tobacco use, assess readiness to quit, advise patients to quit, and provide pharmacotherapy.