The above headline and photo are part of a “quit smoking” marketing piece utilized in the past.  The text of the piece discussed the percentage of female smokers who use smoking as a way to control their weight (almost 40% (from a previous study)) and the concept that a person who has never enjoyed a Newport or Marlboro would not be the best person to oversee smoking cessation programs.  The piece also listed different types of smokers (“pack-a-week” smokers, OP smokers and “only when I drink” smokers).
 
I was a smoker.  I was able to quit because I started a swimming regimen.  The first time I went to the pool at Duquesne University I could only do 11 lengths of the pool—one at a time.  When I left the locker room that winter night, I lit a Newport.  The sensation in my lungs let me know it was time to quit.  Exactly six months later, on the day before my first trip to California, I did 110 lengths nonstop in the same pool—all freestyle.
 
The percentage of U.S. adults who smoked has declined dramatically (42.4% in 1965 to 20.9% in 2005 to 14.0% in 2017) (Source: CDC/P).  This dramatic decline is a major victory for public health departments across the country.  One of the best chronicled stories about convincing large amounts of people to quit smoking (and pay attention to other health/lifestyle habits) is in the book Saving Gotham.  Written by Tom Farley and published by W.W. Norton & Co. in 2015, the book details then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “all-in” approach to creatively (some may say radically) enhancing New York City’s public health initiatives.  From “Goodreads”:

Saving Gotham is the behind-the-scenes story of the most controversial—and successful—public health initiative of our time. Thomas A. Farley, MD, who succeeded Frieden as health commissioner, introduces a team of doctors who accepted the challenge of public health: to care for each of New York City’s eight million inhabitants as their own patients. The biggest threats they faced were not cholera or chemical toxins or lack of medical care but instead habits like smoking and unhealthy eating. As these doctors pressed to solve these problems, they found themselves battling those who encouraged those habits, and they reshaped their own agency for a different sort of fight.

New York City’s smokers are now paying $5.85 in taxes PER PACK of cigarettes.  The increase in the tax did work to create a legion of ex-smokers (along with a large number of cigarette smugglers and a lawsuit against the United States Postal Service (NYC claims the USPS is allowing smuggled cigarettes to reach the city)).
 
One anti-smoking tactic NYC Public Health didn’t do was one that is in use in Europe—bolder and scarier messages on the packs of cigarettes.  Such as:

But you may be seeing such images on cigarette packs in this country soon.  From the “About Time” file, the FDA is proposing doing just that. See this article from the USA Today:

There are still 34 million Americans still smoking–a bit more than 10% of the population.  Many of these smokers are employees of companies with “wellness programs.”  These are the people who need to be included into the process.  Wellness programs should be retooled to attract involvement from the smokers and others with such behaviors and away from those who are already interested in the process.  Surprisingly, the inclusion group would include those employees who are in the gym “eight days a week.”  Exercise bulimia is an actual hindrance to health and not a positive.  An economist would refer the process of spending too much time in the gym and exercising through injury and forgoing other aspects of a complete life “the law of diminishing returns.”
 
Back to smoking: the informational piece referenced at the beginning of this message also had one other relevant statistic: 80% of men over the age of 30 who are impotent smoke cigarettes. 

Somebody should tell that to this guy:

…before he turns into this guy:

To remind: I provide educational services in the areas of Financial Literacy and Health Literacy.  I also provide the greatest stress management technique of all—I teach people how to write.  Think of the components of a wellness program then add one major difference—my classes provide value to the end user and the information is always relevant and valid.  People actually care about what I teach.  
 
I’ve been trained to find “value” in my career.  I’ve done exactly that in the real estate & banking industries, investments, ideas, potential employees and—the one that has always maintained my passion—proper preventive health.
 
If I had nothing of value to offer, I would be found out in a heartbeat.